Sanctioned by an Angel
by LadyDae
Summary: Leave it to a little girl and the memory of her dead mother to bring a Sith Lord and Jedi together.Follow Darth Vader and Ahsoka Tano as they raise Leia Skywalker while trying to stay enemies. But there's always a thin line between love and hate...
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Okay. New Story! Yay! This is so exciting as I've been talking about this one for months now. It was so cool. But before I start a little background. This story stems from my one shot **Sisters through Love** where Ahsoka helps Padmé through her pregnancy, battles her feelings for her master and then when he turns to the dark side, essentially turns on the Jedi to take his children to him, but only succeeds in taking Leia.

The beginning of this story takes place five years later and Ahsoka is in hiding with Leia while Vader makes periodic visit. This story explores Ahsoka and Vader's relationship to each other as they try and work out the relationship they should have as a Jedi and Sith, the relationship they used to have as comrades, and their relationship in regards to Leia, who was a really fun character to write…

Okay, enough rambling. Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter One**

"Ahsoka. When is daddy coming back for a visit?"

"Tonight princess," Ahsoka said as she led the little girl through the market.

The brown haired girl nodded her head as she looked in wonder at the various foods, every now and then grabbing a piece of her favorites for her guardian to buy.

"Ahsoka," she said again.

Ahsoka laughed. It never ceased to amaze her how many questions the girl asked. She was a very curious child, more than most children, and very intuitive.

"Yes Leia," Ahsoka sang.

"What does daddy look like?"

Ahsoka dropped the fruit she was picking up. "Why do you ask that darling? You know what he looks like."

"No," Leia said grabbing the fruit from the ground and putting it back. "I want to know what he looks like under…" Leia trailed off. She wasn't ever supposed to tell anyone who her father was, but Ahsoka never said anything about mentioning the suit he wore.

But Ahsoka didn't need her to continue. She had known what the girl meant all along but wanted to make sure. A former jedi didn't live with and take care of a little girl since she was a baby and not know what the girl was usually thinking.

"Hold on a minute," Ahsoka said paying for the food and then taking Leia's hand as they walked back home.

"So what does he look like?"

"He's… He was very handsome."

Leia sighed. "I know what he used to look like. You showed me. What does he look like now Ahsoka? And why does he wear that mask? I hate it. I want to see his face."

Ahsoka winced. She knew this would eventually come up. It had been five years since Anakin's accident on Mustafar, five very long years since he became Darth Vader. The years had been difficult initially. Ahsoka didn't know what to do in a house all day with a baby, one that wasn't hers no less. Initially she had been very angry with Vader and because they both had to get her being a Jedi and he being a Sith, they had many difficulties. While it wasn't the way it used to be and Ahsoka knew it never would be, they came to an understanding of sorts. that understanding being Leia.

"Maybe you should ask your father those questions," Ahsoka replied softly.

"Why can't you answer them?"

"Because it's very personal."

"What's that mean?"

Ahsoka sighed. It was obvious Leia wasn't going to leave her alone until she got some semblance of an answer.

"Because he was hurt really bad because he made a choice some people didn't like," Ahsoka finally replied.

"They were trying to punish him?" Leia asked tilting her head in confusion. "But why does he have to wear that suit. You punish me when I do something you don't like."

"Not like that," Ahsoka said trying to figure out a way to word it for the girl to understand. "He did something different. You see, adults can't simply be put in a time out when they do something wrong. Anyway, he got hurt trying to defend himself and to stay alive he has to wear that suit."

Leia gasped and stopped walking, saying softly, "Someone tried to kill daddy, didn't they?"

Ahsoka cursed. She had been trying not to say that, but she guessed in a way she had.

"It's alright Leia. The important thing is that he's here now."

"Not all the time," Leia grumbled as she started walking with Ahsoka again.

"He's here as much as he can be without anyone knowing. If his boss finds out about you, he won't like it."

"Then daddy should quit his job," Leia declared.

Ahsoka smiled sadly. "I wish he would too."

They approached the medium sized house on a nice sized piece of land. The neighbors waved at Leia and Leia waved back with a wide grin. Unknown to Leia, the neighbors actually worked for Vader and watched over Ahsoka and Leia. Originally, Vader wanted to build a large estate on a little know isolated planet with security officers and everything Leia could want, but Ahsoka shot that down on the grounds that Padmé wouldn't want Leia to have that kind of life, isolated from society. Padmé would want Leia to live as normal a live as possible. That was the day she learned Padmé was going to be a touchy subject for Vader for a while and she wondered if she hadn't been tending to little Leia at the time if he would have lashed out at her. Instead he left the room in a huff and didn't talk to her for a few weeks. He finally relented and they had found the planet they were currently on. Instead of building an estate though, he built a small subdivision placing assassins, spies, and their families around them to live, not far from a bustling town that reminded Ahsoka of what Padmé told her about Naboo.

Ahsoka had to hand it to Vader, it had been a good compromise. Not only did the neighborhood seem normal being that Vader invited the families of the people he hired, but also Leia enjoyed playing with their children and it was perfectly safe for her to run about the neighborhood.

"Threepio! Artoo! We're back," Leia shouted running to the kitchen to find that Threepio had prepared her a meal.

"Here you are miss Leia. I'm sure you want to eat before your father arrives," Threepio said to her.

Leia sighed for a moment and then dug in. Ahsoka knew what her sigh meant. She wanted to have dinner with her dad and not have to eat without him or before he came.

Ahsoka sat to join her as the girl played with her food more than she ate with a sigh.

"What's wrong?"

Leia sighed. "Nothing Ahsoka…"

Leia was silent for a while before she suddenly sat up, brightening considerably. She jumped out of her chair and ran out the back door. Ahsoka smiled, standing up to follow her outside. Artoo came from the garage to follow along with Threepio.

"Daddy," Leia yelled running up the ramp of the shuttle to meet Vader as he came down. She jumped into his arms and Vader caught her in one arm as she hugged him around the neck.

"Hello princess," he said to her and Leia giggled as she let go of his neck and jumped down. She reached up to grab his hand and led him to the house where Ahsoka was waiting on the porch.

"Master Vader," Threepio said. "So good to see you again. When you're here Miss Leia is such less trouble than usual."

Artoo made a comment in response to Threepio and then said hi to Vader. The Sith Lord then turned to look at Ahsoka who coolly nodded her head to him and he did the same. The longer they didn't talk the better. They usually ended up arguing over one thing or another anyway.

"Come on Daddy. I have something to ask you," Leia said trying to pull Vader into the house and to the living room.

"Slow down princess," he said as Leia tried to tug him away from Ahsoka.

"I trust there had been no disturbances in the time I was gone," he asked.

"With all your spies around here, you'd know even if I didn't say," Ahsoka replied with a small smile.

"True, but it never hurts to double check," Vader said and then followed Leia to the living room.

No doubt Leia wanted to find out what Vader had been up to and where he had been in addition to what presents he had brought her. But Ahsoka had a feeling she wasn't as worried about that today as she usually was. Today she wanted to ask her father something else.

"What is it Leia," Vader asked sitting the girl in his lap.

Ahsoka almost laughed. Bigger men wet their pants at the sight of Darth Vader, but here a little five year old sat in his lap, but that was because she knew his true self. Ahsoka had a feeling Leia didn't even notice the mask, which was more than Ahsoka could say for herself…

"Can you do something for me?" Leia asked happily.

"Depends on what it is," Vader said knowingly. Leia had cornered him with that phrase before and Vader learned that sometimes 'anything' was unreasonable.

"I want to see your face," Leia declared.

Vader stiffened completely even his breathing seemed to slow down a little though Ahsoka was sure that was supposed to be impossible with the regulator. Vader couldn't say he hadn't been expecting it eventually. He knew one day she was going to ask, but he had expected it to be when she was older, not so young.

"Why do you ask?"

Leia looked at her fingers and began to play with them.

"I went to school yesterday and I noticed that all the other children who have parents don't wear suits like yours and they're usually the same species… although some are only half human… Anyway it made me wonder what you really look like. Can I see?"

"I… No Leia," Vader said.

"Why?" Leia asked him. "Ahsoka told me you had an accident and someone tried to kill you, but I just want to see you for…" Leia counted on her finger. "Three seconds maybe and then you can put the mask right back on."

"Princess," Vader said trying to be gentle, but that was hard to do with the voice box, however Leia could feel his gentle tone through the force and leaned on Vader.

"Please Daddy! I won't ask you for anything else. You don't even have to send me presents on my birthday and I won't cause any more trouble for Ahsoka," Leia pleaded.

Ahsoka laughed as she came to sit in the love seat across from them. "I doubt it little one."

Leia glared at Ahsoka and then turned back to her father.

"No Leia," Vader replied preparing himself for the tantrum that was sure to follow. "And that's final."

He wasn't disappointed. Leia groaned, stomped her foot and stormed to her room. Ahsoka sighed, gaining Vader's attention. She leaned her hand on her hands and raised her eyebrows.

"Is her request really too much to ask?"

Vader glared at Ahsoka. "Don't even start with your lectures. I'm not in the mood."

"You're never in the mood for anything," Ahsoka replied dryly crossing her arms.

"Watch it. Don't make me change my mind about not killing you," Vader warned.

"Yeah, yeah Anakin," Ahsoka said to him. "You wouldn't kill me. I'm the only one you trust with Leia.

"Try me?" Vader warned pointing a finger at her. "And don't call me that. That name no longer has any meaning to me."

Ahsoka knew when to back down. Vader was prone to volatile mood swings and she preferred not to be on the receiving end of them. Instead she calmed down and looked at Vader again.

"Why do you insist on staying in that cheap excuse for life support of a suit. You could get your hands on much better prosthetics, where you wouldn't have to wear that mask. Leia would enjoy being able to take you to town and show you around instead of being stuck in the house to spend time with you," Ahsoka noted.

"We're not discussing this again," Vader said firmly.

"Why not?" Ahsoka asked.

"Can't you ever do as you're told?"

"Learned it from the master," she said pointedly and then continued. "Besides, I don't know what's stopping you. You certainly have the money for it and it wouldn't be that hard to do it under the emperor's nose."

"I don't doubt it. But I have no time to waste over such trivial matters. There are more important things I must attend to," Vader replied.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Excuses, excuses. You're just punishing yourself for what you did to Padmé, punishing yourself because you can't find Luke," she said knowing she was crossing a dangerous line. When he didn't lash out at her, she continued, "But you're punishing your daughter now. Besides, Padmé wouldn't want you to punish yourself like this."

Ahsoka felt Vader's annoyance through the force. There was a reason he avoided her when he was here. She always spoke hard truths to him whether he wanted to hear them or not and in turn, he irked her with his distance and properness.

Vader stood up. "I'll take care of Leia for the remainder of the evening. You may take some time for yourself."

Ahsoka stood up and glared at him. "I take care of Leia because I want to, not because I work for you."

With that Ahsoka left leaving an exasperated Vader in her wake. He'd rather be commanding incompetent imperial officers all day long than be around his former student to be honest. She always awoke a long buried side of him that he didn't want to admit was still there because it proved that perhaps the power he now held wasn't worth everything he had given up and lost. Leia did the same, but Leia was his daughter and she was allowed to do that. Ahsoka was an entirely different matter.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN: **I remember when I was first writing this, I had to get the strain between Ahsoka and Vader's down. I remember I was trying to put a strain on it and make them get along at the same time, but no matter how I wrote, they never seemed to get along unless it was to do with Leia. But that was a good thing, because I had to keep in mind that no matter what relationship they used to have, they're technically enemies now. Irked me to no end, but I obviously got over the hurdle because I've posted the story. So this is just the beginning and I hope you enjoyed it. Review Please!


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** I was happy with the response to this! So there's some stuff I wanted to clear up.

This story is as much about Leia as it is about Vader and Ahsoka so to me, starting off when she was five seemed the best place because nothing really happens that's significant in the story. It might become one-shots or something later and I'll do like _KittandChips_ in her **Force Bond** series to fill in any gaps but the real story doesn't start until Leia is five and there's another reason for that which you don't find out until chapter six I think…

There was something else, but in light of this chapter, I'll post it at the end. So read, enjoy and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Two**

Leia sat in her room with her arms crossed as she stared at her toys. She wasn't really mad at her father anymore, but she wanted to be. However, it was getting bored sitting in her room trying to act mad. She looked around the room and grabbed one of her stuffed animals, sitting it on her bed. Then she decided to practice something she had seen Ahsoka do when she thought Leia wasn't looking.

She concentrated on it and tapped into the same power that helped her sense her father when he was on the planet and feel his emotions. The stuffed animal began to shake, and Leia narrowed her eyes, focusing harder until the stuffed animal began to rise into the air. It started to rise higher and higher until her room door opened and Leia's concentration faltered causing the stuffed animal to shake and then fall back to her bed.

"Oh man," she said not feeling Vader's reaction.

Vader stared at her in stunned silence. He had never seen Leia use the force before and besides her intuition and empathy, she had never shown other signs of her latent force potential.

"Where did you learn to do that little one?" he finally asked trying not to sound disapproving.

"Ahsoka," she said innocently.

Vader's jaw clenched in anger. "She taught you how to do that?"

"No. I saw her do it one day when she thought I wasn't looking and wondered if I could do it. How come Ahsoka can do those things Daddy?"

Vader made a mental note to have a stern talk to Ahsoka about using the force before he sat down next to Leia.

"You shouldn't do that little one," he said to her.

"Why not?" Leia asked and Vader sighed. There was always a why when he gave an instruction to her, but he couldn't blame Leia he supposed. He had been the same way in his youth.

"Because there are people who would know when you do things like that, and they would come and take you away from me," Vader replied.

"Who?"

Vader couldn't even begin to name them, but the two at the top of the list were Obi-Wan, who still had his son, and the Emperor, who would surely want Leia (a sure threat with her latent force power) and Ahsoka dead if he found out he had been hiding them.

"Bad people Leia, but as long as you don't use the force, you don't have to worry about them."

"Were these people the same bad people who made you have to wear that mask?" Leia asked softly.

"Yes Leia," he said.

"It was the Jedi wasn't it?"

Vader was once again surprised by his daughter's knowledge of things and then wondered if Ahsoka had perhaps mentioned it to her despite his command not to tell Leia anything about the Jedi because of the light he knew she would show them in.

"Did Ahsoka teach you about the Jedi?"

"No," Leia said crawling into her father's lap. "I overheard you and her talking about that too. Is that why you hate each other so much? Because she was a Jedi too?"

Vader sighed. He would have to seriously consider soundproofing some parts of the house. Leia was too nosy for her own good.

"Ahsoka and I don't hate each other," Vader tried to assure even though Leia's observation wasn't a far cry from the truth.

"Well you don't like each other."

_Stang,_ Vader thought. "Does that bother you?"

"I wish we could all go to the park and have lunch, but you can't go out in this suit. And you don't like Ahsoka and she doesn't like you," Leia replied.

"We just have disagreements sometimes."

"All the time," Leia corrected. "The Jedi were bad so does that mean Ahsoka is bad."

"Ahsoka is the _only_ Jedi you can trust," Vader assured.

"The rest of the Jedi hurt you Daddy… you still hurt sometimes. I can feel it. I don't want you to hurt anymore," Leia muttered closing her eyes.

Vader was silent for a moment and then realizing she was falling asleep, sat her up.

"Don't go to sleep yet princess. You have to get ready first," he said.

Leia got up with less energy than usual and grabbed a night gown before going into the adjoining bathroom. When she came out, Vader stood up and put her under the covers.

"Good night daddy," Leia said.

"Good night princess," Vader said and turned out the light.

Vader left the room heading to find Ahsoka. They had some things to discuss about how Leia was to be raised. He found her outside under a tree meditating, something he figured he rarely got to do with Leia around.

He went to her and stood over her waiting for the torgruta woman to notice him.

"Did you want something?" Ahsoka asked without opening her eyes.

"I would like to discuss something Leia told me," Vader replied.

"Well I'm not going anywhere so you may as well go ahead and talk," she replied opening her eyes and coming out of her meditative state.

Vader decided to ignore her sarcasm and began to pace slowly.

"It has come to my attention that Leia has been using the force," he said.

Ahsoka glared at him. "I haven't taught her anything if that's what you're accusing me of. I don't know where she learned to use it. I didn't even know she could."

"I found her levitating a toy and when I asked her where she learned it, she said she saw you levitate something one day and went to try it for herself," he continued.

Ahsoka looked down for a moment and then back at Vader, a clear sign that she was guilty. Vader stopped pacing and crossed his arms.

"Ahsoka," he began but she beat him to it.

"Let's face it Vader," she said. "I'm a Jedi. You can't get around that and you can't expect me not to use the force forever."

"I can when the safety of my daughter is at stake," Vader declared.

"Her safety wouldn't be at stake if you weren't a Sith and in command of the imperial army," Ahsoka shot and then added, "Not as much anyway. Besides, she's five years old. She would have already begun her training in the temple."

"You sound like the Jedi you are. There is plenty of time for her to be trained one day, but it won't be any time soon."

"I'm not saying that she won't ever be trained if she isn't trained now, but I am saying that if I teach her just the basics, enough to understand it, she'll understand why she shouldn't use it," Ahsoka suggested.

"I won't allow it. Leia will learn nothing about the force, least not from you," Vader said. "I will teach her when the time comes."

"You think I would teach her that outdated code and not to feel attachments stuff? That stuff is for old men and woman who don't have anything better to do, not for youth," Ahsoka said dryly crossing her arms.

"That is beside the point. You will not train her and you will be careful of when you use the force if you feel you must use it so badly. If I hear otherwise, there will be consequences," he said.

Ahsoka was silent and Vader thought she was going to argue with him again forcing him to become a little harsher with her. Finally, she replied.

"Yes master," Ahsoka said dryly. "You know, for someone who's only twenty-eight years old, you sure can be an uptight asshole."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear you say that," Vader said in a caustic tone.

Ahsoka expected him to leave. He was never around her longer than he needed to anymore, and so she was surprised when he stood there for a moment.

"What?" she finally asked.

Vader was silent and when he didn't answer, Ahsoka assumed he had finally lost what little sanity he had left, stood up, and started toward the house to peak in on Leia.

"Wait," Vader said to her and Ahsoka stopped. His tone-not so much his tone than his force presence-was different. He didn't feel arrogant and confident like he usually felt, but he felt kind of humble, pleading.

Ahsoka turned around not sure what to expect.

"I need your help," he finally admitted and Ahsoka didn't know whether to laugh or take him seriously. Darth Vader was admitting he needed help? The universe had to be closing in on itself.

"You need my help?" Ahsoka asked skeptically putting a hand on her hip.

Something that sounded like a groan came from Vader and he said, "Despite our obvious disagreements and philosophical differences, you're the only one I can trust to help me with this."

"What are you talking about Vader?" Ahsoka asked crossing her arms.

Vader sighed. "Don't make this any more difficult for me than it already is. I must do this without the emperor knowing and so I need you to arrange it for me."

"Arrange what?"

Vader paused and Ahsoka rolled her eyes, starting to turn around when Vader spoke again.

"A surgery," he finally relented.

Ahsoka looked at him in surprise. There was no way… "What surgery?"

Vader glared at her and clenched his fist meaningfully. Ahsoka got the point.

"Why can't you do it?"

"The emperor put me in this suit and I doubt he wants me to be out of it. So I need for you to arrange for the doctors to come here, along with all the equipment they'll need to perform the surgery. I trust that you will be able to decide the best route of treatment and procedure," he said to her.

Ahsoka scowled. "Don't talk to me like I'm one of your officers on a star destroyer. You haven't exactly given me a good reason to help you at all."

"She's in her room sleep," Vader pointed out and Ahsoka couldn't argue anymore. The infuriating part was that she knew he knew it. Ahsoka would do just about anything for Leia.

"Fine," Ahsoka muttered. It was times like these that made Ahsoka stick around because to be quite honest, she sometimes wondered if she had been right in her decision to bring Leia to Vader and wanted to pack up and leave. But Vader always managed to show that he loved Leia, even though he would never say it being that it wasn't Sith-like to admit to such an emotion. Ahsoka would never take Leia away from him, no matter how strained her own relationship with Vader was.

"I will be leaving tomorrow evening," Vader said turning his back on her. "I can't risk staying long. It will only be a matter of time before the emperor realizes I am not where he thinks I am, and I'm not sure when I will have the time for this surgery. So you will have ample time to get it ready and I expect that when I am able to get away, you will have everything sorted out and ready."

"Vader," Ahsoka said in a warning tone that told Vader she wasn't liking his commanding tone, but that didn't concern him.

"Ahsoka," he replied.

Ahsoka sighed. He was still as infuriating as a Sith as he had been a Jedi.

"Fine. I'll have it ready for you."

Vader had one more thing to address with her, but this was definitely going to be the most difficult topic of all. Sensing his hesitation, Ahsoka started toward the house and said, "If you want to talk, then we'll talk in the living room."

Vader followed her and sat on the sofa while she sat across from him. Ahsoka was intrigued. Obviously Leia had said something to him for them to be talking now for more than five minutes and they weren't arguing or about to kill each other. Ahsoka preferred it that way. It reminded her of the way it was before the war ended. Besides, Ahsoka was at a disadvantage in a fight anyway. Her light saber was locked away in her room.

"Leia is worried about you and me," Vader finally said.

"For what?" Ahsoka said and then as she thought about she looked at Vader dryly saying, "She asked you why we hate each other didn't she?"

"She's asked you about this before?"

"All the time. She seems to be under the impression that since she likes both of us, we should like each other," Ahsoka explained. "Her assumption isn't a far cry from the truth."

"I agree," Vader replied. "And that is why I think that for her sake, we should at least try to act civil around each other."

"Haven't we tried and failed to do that. Sure we're talking about Leia now, but in a few minutes, I'll say something about the empire that you don't like and no doubt Leia will hear," Ahsoka said.

"I'm trying to be nice. The least you could do is stop being sarcastic and return the favor," Vader shot.

"I wish you would stop talking to me like I'm one your spies or officers. I'm not on your payroll Vader. I didn't convince you to hire me to take care of Leia," she snapped.

"Believe me, if I had a choice, I wouldn't have hired you," Vader shot back.

Ahsoka's temper started to get the best of her as she stood up putting her hands on her hips, hissing through her teeth, the predator in her wanting to lash out at Vader.

"You want to say that again?" she asked.

Vader stood up to face her. "You don't intimidate me."

They kept their gaze locked on each other for a moment before Ahsoka sighed and turned her back on Vader.

"See? This is what I mean." she said.

"It was your fault to begin with."

Ahsoka resisted the urge to call him an arrogant, traitorous, bastard, but decided it may wake Leia up and further sadden her that her guardian and father didn't get along.

"Since this obviously isn't going to get us anywhere," Ahsoka began, "I'll agree not to train Leia at all and I won't use the force when she's awake and I'll help you with this surgery for her sake, but as far as trying to pretend we're friends, that'll be a project for a later date."

"I was going to say the same thing," said Vader.

"Deal," Ahsoka said holding out her hand.

Vader took it. "Agreed."

Ahsoka let go of his hand and went up to her room. She closed the door and sighed. Her relationship with Vader-or lack of one-had been bothering Leia for a while. And it wasn't that Ahsoka hadn't tried to be civil and act like they were friends or even try to rekindle the friendship they used to have. It was just that every time she thought about it, Ahsoka got so angry because it reminded her of a happier time when they didn't have to tiptoe around each other or watch what they said in fear of sparking a disagreement that would no doubt become an argument and result in them not speaking for days, even weeks, at a time, something Leia was starting to notice increasingly.

But maybe if Ahsoka just overlooked all Vader's flaws and looked at him like Leia did, it would help. When Vader was with Leia, Ahsoka could see the truth in Padmé's dying words, that there was still good in him. That under Vader's mask, Anakin Skywalker still lived. But that was the part the Sith didn't want her to see. Even relaxing himself to being Leia's father was hard enough. The fact that Ahsoka was still very much a Jedi, albeit a very unconventional one, was enough to harden him up to her. The Jedi had hurt him, even if they hadn't deserved to be killed for it.

Ahsoka thought back to the man's request for help and decided to get on top of it right away. Perhaps having him out that suit would help their relationship. It was a constant reminder of what he had become as much as Ahsoka wanted to think that it didn't matter. But she wasn't like Padmé. It wouldn't have mattered to Padmé that he had to wear that suit. But it did to Ahsoka because she could only see Vader when he was around her like that. The suit represented Darth Vader completely no matter how often she saw Anakin Skywalker shine through. She went to the computer and logged onto the holonet. Time to get the ball rolling…

xxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** I tried my damndest to make this story work with Vader staying the suit but it wouldn't write and for a long time I was just stuck! I couldn't do it and so I had to do something I swore I wouldn't write. I always promised if I had Vader in the suit at any time in my story that's how he was going to stay. But it's amazing when writing a romance that things change. But I came up with a solution that I got from a movie that I will give credit to in the next chapter.

Next thing. I always kind of figured that Ahsoka would never be able to see past the mask of Vader like most Jedi would I think. I mean, it was Obi-wan who said he was more machine than man right? I might be misquoting but point being, that was one of the crucial points that I thought would have been a difference between how Ahsoka would act in this situation and how Padmé would.

So, hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** I got the idea for how to make this… transition out the suit original from the movie Bicentennial Man. If you haven't watched it, it's about a robot who goes on a two hundred year journey to become human (hence the title). Through trying to help him, a man came up with a way to not only help him become human, but help humanity by creating organic organs and such. Anyway, I had never seen this idea used before and I figured it fit perfectly in the Star Wars universe and used it.

So, read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Three**

Ahsoka was tired. Months ago when Vader requested she help him, she would have never thought it would be this tiring to arrange his surgery. First she had to interview all the doctors and find the best procedure for him to go with and that was tricky. Many suggested cloning, but Ahsoka thought that was too risky. Besides, he didn't need all his body parts back. They could just fine the best prosthetic arms and legs in the galaxy since he certainly had the money to pay for it and his vocal chords could be easily repaired. The problem was how they were going to heal his scared skin and damaged lungs.

They had eventually settled on skin grafts for his skin. Ahsoka had looked at some of the before and after pictures and the results were amazing. One would never think the person had been disfigured. But the lung thing baffled her. It seemed at first that their only option would be to insert an internal respirator that would keep them going if she didn't want to resort to cloning (which would take months and that was time Vader didn't have), but Ahsoka wanted something more natural for him, something more organic… And it was then she talked to a little known doctor who knew how to use a little known technology that generated organic cybernetic organs… or something of the sort.

Now that everything was finally set up, all Ahsoka had to do was wait for Vader to give her the word that he was ready and like she had promised, Leia was none the wiser about it.

"Leia," she said to the now six year old girl who was fixing on a broken speeder bike engine with Artoo.

"Yes Ahsoka," she said not looking up.

Ahsoka smiled in amusement at how intent Leia was on fixing the broken speeder bike. They found it lying on the side of the road abandoned and though her father would buy her any bike she wanted, Leia insisted they take it home. For the last two weeks, she had abandoned her pretty dresses and favored old tattered jeans and t-shirts to work on it. She had certainly inherited her father's mechanical prowess, and with a little help from Artoo who was helping to school her in the finer details of mechanic with Threepio acting as translator, she had made significant progress. Then again, Leia had done everything (even eating) short of sleeping in the hanger. The more Ahsoka thought about it the more she was convinced Leia would have made a horrible conventional princess.

"Don't you want to go outside or relax a little? You've been working on that engine all day," she said leaning in the doorway that led into the hanger from the house. From looking at the front of the house, no one would know there was a small hanger attached to the house.

"I almost have it Ahsoka. I can feel it. And once I do it, I'm going to ask daddy to help me find some new panels and paint it red and I'm going to race through the neighborhood on it.

"Be careful Leia," Ahsoka said bending down. "You sure you know what you're doing?"

Leia replied in a tone that said she though Ahsoka's doubts were the most ridiculous thing in the world. "Yes Ahsoka," she sang as Artoo helped her move a wire out the way.

Artoo assured Ahsoka that Leia would be fine and Ahsoka turned back to go outside. How she wished she could just hold onto her light saber and practice a few moves, but her _master_ wouldn't allow it…

"Miss Ahsoka," Threepio said following her outside shortly afterward. "Master Vader is on the line. He wishes to speak with you."

"Vader?" Ahsoka asked "What does he want?"

Ahsoka made her way into the kitchen and answered the call. Vader's image came up and she raised an eyebrow. He was on a private shuttle with a fleet of storm troopers. If him requesting to talk to her wasn't enough, that was even odder.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Is Leia around?"

Ahsoka shook her head. "She's in the hanger with Artoo."

Vader paused. "I certainly hope she's nowhere near my speeder and ship collection."

"She's working on a project. Relax. Why-?"

"Is everything in order?" he asked.

Ahsoka almost asked him what he was talking about until he sensed his urgency in the force.

"You're ready now? What about the emperor?"

"He's given me some time off after the disaster with the Dea- a secret imperial project that was attacked by terrorist, mostly because my prosthetics were damaged and he wants me to recuperate. He didn't specify how," Vader replied and Ahsoka swore she heard a hint of mischievous in his tone. "Is everything in order."

Ahsoka blinked in surprise. "Yeah."

"Good. I'll be there in a standard hour," he said.

"You couldn't give me more of a heads up?"

"There was no time. I will be there shortly. Send me the coordinates."

With that, Vader cut off the connection and any other time, Ahsoka would have been annoyed, but she had no time. She had to get in contact with the doctor and head to the facility.

"Leia," she called. "You're going to be staying with a neighbor for a while."

"Why?" Leia asked from where she was working on the speeder bike. "What's going on?"

"I have to take care of something," Ahsoka said grabbing her speeder keys.

Leia paused and Ahsoka knew she was trying to see if Ahsoka was lying through the force.

"Alright," she finally said satisfied she wasn't being lied to. "Can Artoo and Threepio come? And can I take the speeder bike so I can work on it?"

"Yes, now hurry up," Ahsoka said to her. She could hear Leia putting a bunch of tools in a box for the bike.

"Ready," Leia shouted and Ahsoka decided not to bother her about her clothing. She was going to be working on the bike all day anyway.

Ahsoka dropped Leia off with one of Vader's most trusted spies and his family, who had a little boy that would enjoy helping Leia work on the bike and then sped off into town.

The front for the place where the operation would be was one of Ahsoka's ideas. It was fronting as a group of scientist who wanted to study the ecosystem of the planet in hopes to recreate a similar atmosphere on places void of life which wasn't an uncommon thing for the pretty much undisturbed planet. But underground was where the real purpose of the facility was.

Vader's shuttle was landing in the hanger when Ahsoka got there and Ahsoka rolled her eyes. Really…

When he was down the ramp, Ahsoka fell in step next to him amongst the storm troopers flanking him.

"You couldn't be any less inconspicuous?" she asked sarcastically in reference to Vader's shuttle.

"Who on this planet cares? Not even the empire is interested in this planet," Vader replied.

"Lady Tano," a trooper said.

Ahsoka smiled. "Hello," she said to him. These troopers had become very familiar with her over the years. "It's been a while."

"Certainly," he replied.

Ahsoka turned her attention back to Vader as they stepped onto the lift that would take them underground.

"What exactly does the emperor think you're doing? I'm sure he's noticed all the money I've been spending."

Ahsoka felt something akin to amusement and mischief from Vader, and she crossed her arms turning to him.

"What?"

"He thinks I'm keeping a mistress," he said to her.

Ahsoka stared at Vader in outrage. "He thinks I'm your mistress?"

"He doesn't know it's you. I imagine he believes it's a twi'lek or a human woman," Vader guessed.

"Vader," Ahsoka said in a warning tone.

"As if I'd take you for a mistress anyway," he replied and Ahsoka stared at him bemused. If she didn't know any better…

"You must be incredibly nervous if you're trying to purposely grate my nerves," she snapped.

"Simply stating a truth," Vader pointed out as they came upon an office where the doctor was waiting.

"Lord Vader," the Kamino doctor said.

Vader turned to Ahsoka. "Kamino?"

"They're the best at what they do," Ahsoka pointed out. "But this isn't a cloning technique."

Ahsoka and Vader sat in two chairs, while the doctor brought down a white screen and an image was projected against it.

"I thought you may like to know the process your assistant has chosen for you. Hopefully you will be pleased with what we plan to do," he said.

"My first suggestion was that we try cloning, but your assistant thought that was too risky, so we came up with another idea. It is similar in that fact that it will rebuild your body, but it won't be recreated from your cells. It's a new technique where we take organic tissues and put them together to in essence mimic the normal functions of your body," he said.

The image of bluish silver material appeared and then came up in the shape of bones and organs.

"This material can be manipulated to mimic bone structure and organs. But unlike electronic prosthetics, these organs and limbs are treated like regenerated limbs. Your body will start to circulate blood through these limbs, your brain will connect up to these artificial nerves and essentially, they will become your new body. They are much more effective than regular prosthetics. We'll also use this to replace your lungs and normal skin grafts to replace your damaged skin tissue," the doctor finished.

"Will they wear out?" Vader asked.

"Only when you do sir," the doctor replied with a smile.

Vader was silent, the only sound in the room being his mechanical breathing.

"So?" Ahsoka finally asked when he didn't reply.

Vader paused and then looked at the doctor. "Well done. We will proceed immediately," he replied.

"Very well," he said. "We will be ready momentarily."

The doctor left the room leaving Vader and Ahsoka. Ahsoka waited for him to speak, unsure of exactly how he was feeling. Finally Vader stood up and nodded toward her.

"Very well done Ahsoka," he said and left the room.

Any other person would have been insulted, but through the force, Ahsoka felt a kind of gratitude that she hadn't felt from Vader since she brought Leia to him Ahsoka smiled. Maybe this would help mend their relationship.

Ahsoka bit her lip as she pondered whether or not she should go get Leia and wait at home or wait where she was. She took out her com and contacted Leia on the emergency com Ahsoka had given her. As soon as it was up, Leia said, "Daddy's here. Where is he?"

Ahsoka felt the girl's displeasure through the force and sighed.

"He can't come right now dear. He's with a doctor," Ahsoka replied.

There was a pause and Leia said, "He's not hurt is he? He feels okay…"

"He'll be fine Leia, but I'm going to stay here to make sure. Alright?"

"Okay," Leia said in a sad tone. "When daddy's better, tell him I want to show him my speeder bike I'm fixing."

"Your dad can just buy you one," Ahsoka pointed out.

"No. I want this one," Leia said happily. "Love you Ahsoka."

"Love you too princess," Ahsoka said and cut the frequency.

The surgery was going to take hours so Ahsoka decided that while she waited, she would run security checks. Although Vader always carefully screened his personal, she could never be too careful.

She put up the comlink and approached the trooper in command of Vader's security.

"I want you to put two of your best men at the door of the operating room," Ahsoka said. "I don't want anyone to disturb that doctor. Have your men securing all hallways and I want someone on the security monitors. I want this to go off without a hitch."

"Yes ma'am," he said and headed to carry out her instructions.

Ahsoka nodded and found a place to sit in the waiting area. Suddenly she found herself getting nervous about all of this. Not that she personally cared too much about Vader anymore, but she didn't want him to die if not for her sake, for Leia's. But she had found the best doctor she could possibly get, found the best procedure that was the least risk taking. Nothing could go wrong and the force was with them.

She sat down and suddenly wished that she had remembered to grab her lightsaber in case someone got stupid. Ahsoka started to pace back and forth, a habit she believed she got from Anakin before he turned. All she could do was wait.

xxxxxxxxxx

Ahsoka meditated even though it was well into the night, well morning now, as she waited. She couldn't sleep if she wanted to. The surgery had been going on well over twelve hours, but as far as Ahsoka was concerned, they could take as much time as they needed to make sure it was done correctly. Vader had once told her that his initial surgery to be put in his suit was done in a few hours without anesthetic. He mentioned remembering excruciating pain and even afterwards, he had to use the force to stop the pain that came walking with the cheaply made prosthetic limbs.

Ahsoka just wished he could see that all he had to do was walk away from the empire. He didn't need to take over. They could join the rebellion… well it wasn't a rebellion quite yet. Just faction, but she had heard whispers of an alliance that was going to be formed soon to take down the emperor.

A presence, more like a spirit calmed her and Ahsoka smiled. Padmé was watching over what was going on with a careful eye apparently. She had never felt the woman's presence like this, not even on Leia's birthday.

Ahsoka then sensed the doctor's approach and Ahsoka snapped out her meditation and stood to her feet.

"So?" she asked.

"We were successful. We had a little trouble with his lungs, but we were able to manage. However, we want to keep a watchful eye on him for a few days and keep him sedated," he said.

"That's a good idea," Ahsoka decided. "As soon as he's awake, he'll want to get up."

"I don't advise that. His body needs time to heal and his blood needs time to generate more cells. It will take a while for his body to adjust. Depending on how fast he heals depends on how long he'll need to be submerged in bacta."

"It won't be long," Ahsoka assured. "Believe me when I say that."

"You can see him if you want," the doctor said and left the room.

Ahsoka pondered whether she should go see him or not before deciding in order to keep her promise to Leia, she needed to do so. She went down the hall and nodded her head to the two troopers guarding the door to Vader's recovery room.

The torgruta woman didn't know what kind of relief it would be to see Vader without the mask until she saw him. His face was a little swollen from where they had stitched the skin grafts to his face after removing the damaged and burnt tissues. There were also scars on his head from where they had repaired his hair follicles.

"Ahsoka."

Ahsoka jumped startled at the weak groggy voice that came from Vader.

"Anakin?" she said not realizing her slip and neither did Vader. "You're supposed to be sleep. They gave you the sedatives."

Something of a weak chuckle escaped him. "The most those things ever did without a constant dosage was drug me up a lot… I hate that feeling."

Ahsoka almost laughed. "Leia's worried about you. She asked where you were and if you were okay."

"I know. She's been reaching out to me," Vader said weakly, his eyes still closed. "Padmé… She was here."

Ahsoka nodded. "I know. She was here from the beginning."

Vader didn't say anything. He seemed disturbed by something and Ahsoka frowned.

"What?" Ahsoka asked.

"You didn't have to stay," he muttered.

"I know I didn't," Ahsoka replied. "But I promised Leia I would make sure you were okay."

That was about as much as a thank you and you're welcome as they were going to give each other. Ahsoka left the room as she felt Vader fall under the effect of the drug. She sighed as she thought about what would be happening in the next few days. Knowing how stubborn Vader could be (and she was certain Leia had inherited it), it was going to be a long, frustrating few days.

Three days later and a forty-eight hour submergence in bacta later, Ahsoka walked past Vader's room, having no intention at all of going to see him again. That was until she heard a loud thump and a string of curses in huttese.

Ahsoka backtracked and peaked into the room before scowling at the stubborn Sith Lord.

"What are you doing?" Ahsoka asked dryly. "You're supposed to be resting. I thought the doctor sedated you again."

"He did," Vader said struggling to pull himself up from where he had fallen.

Ahsoka looked at him in amusement and Vader glared at her.

"Laugh it up Jedi," he said.

Ahsoka sighed as she went over to help him up. "There's a reason the doctor wants you to rest. You blood has to replenish itself enough to circulate through those new limbs. Until then, you won't be strong enough to walk on your own."

"I have an army to run. I need to get back on my feet as soon as possible," Vader said, his voice raspy from not being used on its own for the last five years.

"You also have a daughter who doesn't want you to hurt yourself," Ahsoka said hauling Vader up and throwing his arm over her shoulder. "Stang you're heavy."

"I don't need your help," Vader snapped.

"Sure," Ahsoka muttered leading him back to the bed. She managed to use the force to help her sit him back down and Vader sat with his arms crossed over his bare chest.

"I no longer require your help. You can leave now," he told her shortly.

"I think I'll sit right here and make sure you don't try to get up again," Ahsoka said sitting down in a chair.

Vader groaned in annoyance and turned around on the bed, propping himself up on his pillows.

"Do you find my presence that annoying?" Ahsoka asked as she read a book.

"Do you live to antagonize me?"

Ahsoka sighed. "I used to. Now I live for Leia."

Vader was silent. "Have you been back to check on her? How is she?"

"She says you feel different," Ahsoka replied. "She says you feel in less pain than before. Not as sad."

"She always was very intuitive," Vader replied.

"Like her mother," Ahsoka said and then continued to talk before Vader could lash out at her for mentioning it. "She's been working on an old speeder bike all week. Surprisingly, the little mon calamari, Abdul, doesn't like bikes too much. But the girl next door, Lana is having a great time helping Leia fix it and put it back together."

Ahsoka became silent and Vader became aware that she wanted to say something. In the past, he might have waited for her to tell him herself, but he was in no mood for her attempts to make small talk.

"What is it?"

Ahsoka muttered something about rude sith lords and then said, "I'm willing to try this if you are."

"Elaborate."

"You and your one word commands. I mean I'm willing to try to get along for Leia's sake," Ahsoka added. "I'm not trying to be your friend, but we don't have to be enemies. Call it a truce… or a treaty or something."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Vader asked.

Ahsoka crossed her arms. "Because you only have a heart for Leia. So if someone was going to call it, I knew it had to be me."

Ahsoka knew it was cold, but Vader was cold anyway so it wouldn't matter to him. In fact, he would probably admit that much. A Sith wasn't supposed to have a heart anyway. That's why she was sure (sometimes) that Anakin Skywalker was still buried under the mask of Vader, because he loved Leia so much even though he would never say it out his mouth. This operation had been the first step toward getting beneath the mask.

"A wise observation," Vader noted.

"So?" Ahsoka said. "What do you say? I won't act like a Jedi who can't stand you because you're a Sith and you won't act like a sith who seriously reconsiders sparing my life when I remind him I'm a jedi."

"I can't make any promises," said Vader.

Ahsoka smirked. "Neither can I," she said and felt a tinge of amusement from Vader as she held out her hand. "Truce."

"I suppose," he said taking her hand a little reluctantly.

Ahsoka noticed, but didn't say anything as she felt Padmé spirit embrace them both approvingly. The next day found Ahsoka watching disapprovingly as Vader got out of bed again.

"The doctor told you-."

"I don't honestly care what he told me. I'm tired of sitting down and that has to say something about my health. Now shut up and don't say anything," Vader snapped.

Ahsoka was silent as she watched the Sith Lord wobble to his feet, which was a lot more than what he had done yesterday. He grabbed onto the side table to steady himself and almost fell again. Ahsoka bit her lip to keep from laughing but Vader sensed her amusement.

"What?"

"You look just like Leia looked when she was learning to walk. So intense about everything you both do, but it can be said that she got that from Padmé too. But, that was a different kind of intensity," Ahsoka said with a smile as she watched Vader almost fall over again after taking a few steps. He swore violently and so Ahsoka finally decided to intervene.

Vader glared at her with piercing blue eyes as she approached. When she didn't stop, his eyes began to turn yellow. "I swear if you come over here and try to make me sit down I'll hurt you," he said.

"Good thing that's not what I'm trying to do," Ahsoka said standing in front of him and taking his hands. "I think your new legs need to get used to moving and once you do that, it'll be easy. Walking will help the muscles get into your control. You'll be sprinting around in no time."

Remembering she said something similar to a small ten month old Leia when she was learning how to walk and remembering that she also guided Leia like she was trying to help him now, Vader scowled.

"I don't need your help."

"Sure Your Moodiness," Ahsoka replied ignoring his attitude. "No one's here. I'm just helping you around the room."

Vader paused and reluctantly grabbed Ahsoka's hands. She slowly started to move back and Vader followed her. This was all foreign to him. He didn't know he would have to learn to walk all over again when he got his new limbs. As Ahsoka guided him, the easier it became until Vader became impatient and began walking faster.

"Easy Vader," Ahsoka said. "You're going to fall down again if you push too hard."

Vader was suddenly glad Ahsoka was looking down because he was staring at her in strange fascination wondering why her voice sounded so musical to him right then. No one had ever sounded like that to him since Padmé was alive.

"I've got it now," Vader said and snatched his hands from Ahsoka. "I no longer need your aid. You are free to leave now."

Ahsoka stepped back, wondering what had suddenly gotten into Vader that he wanted her to leave. Sure he had only said it as a suggestion, but a suggestion from Vader was a command in his language. She figured she better leave. Being stubborn about it would only make him angry with her-not that she minded him being angry with her as he always was for one reason or another-but it wouldn't do good for their agreement to try to get along for Leia's sake. So she left the room aware that Vader was shaking his head and muttering under his breath, but about what, she wasn't sure.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** There was a lot of interaction between Vader and Ahsoka in this one and there's still more to come. More of little Leia in the next one as she plays a big role in the next chapter and lots more back and for the between our favorite Jedi and Sith.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please. And have a Happy New Year!


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Nothing to say except thanks for the reviews and I hope you're all having a Happy New Year. I start school Wednesday but that also means I'm coming into some money from my financial aid! (Does happy dance). Good thing this is already written. Can't say the same for Light of Liberty, but I actually write better during school amazingly enough.

And have you all seen the trailer for the new Clone Wars season! There's a part where it looks like Ahsoka turned to the dark side or something and I'm like WTF! You will definitely find me trying to watch that. Besides, it has the night sisters in it and I'm all for things dark. Okay. That's all.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Four**

The next day, the doctor was amazed to find Vader walking about on his own and growing increasingly restless about staying any longer. So the following day, Vader was given permission to walk on the grounds of the facility-not that Vader cared about having the doctor's permission since he had planned on doing so anyway-and it was decided that if the doctor determined Vader could get around on his own, he wouldn't need the physical therapy (Ahsoka had already told the man Vader wasn't going to need it), and he could leave the next day. However, he didn't need to do any strenuous activities before he was fully healed. Again, Ahsoka doubted Vader would follow that rule either.

Ahsoka watched from the facility as she saw Vader doing laps on the grounds. She shook her head. He was always stubborn about his health and maybe that was why he couldn't be kept down for long, even when it seemingly defied the odds. He was a Sith, but he still kept some of the traits of his former self and knowing him, he was going to leave as soon as he got back from his run. She didn't blame him though. Although they hadn't used their bond in a while, she could feel his excitement (or something akin to it since she wasn't sure Sith felt excitement) about his new body. It was still partly artificial, but she could sense that he felt more alive and attune to the force than ever.

When he got back, he proved her assumption correct.

"Prepare all the troops and get ready to leave. I can't stand to be here any longer," he said to her and Ahsoka raised her eyebrow before going back to looking out the window.

"I gave you a command," Vader said agitatedly.

"I know," said Ahsoka.

"Then why aren't you doing it?"

"Because you commanded me," Ahsoka replied.

Ahsoka sensed Vader's annoyance and he struggled to try not to lose his temper with her as they were trying to act a little more civil to each other.

"Don't be smug," he muttered when he felt her attitude through the force. "I'm trying to be nice."

Ahsoka laughed. "If this is your definition of nice, then I'd hate to see your definition of mean…"

"Ahsoka," Vader said in a warning tone and Ahsoka sighed as she turned around with a smirk.

"Okay. Fine… I'm going," Ahsoka said airily. "But if you're going to try to be nice, you're going to have to do better than that."

Vader watched as Ahsoka left the room and closed the door behind her. She was a bit of an enigma to him. On one hand, she could so easily remind him that she was a stubborn Jedi that hated him because he was a Sith and that just because she took care of his daughter didn't mean she was going to make his life easy or at all accept him. On the other hand, he could sometimes ignore that she was a Jedi, especially since she wasn't exactly a conventional Jedi (she had brought him Leia when the Jedi wanted to hide her anyway). Sometimes she was just the strangely comforting person to be around, the one person he knew that, despite their differences, he could always go to when he needed help even if he didn't want to admit it.

It seemed Ahsoka needed him to have this surgery as much as he needed to. Ahsoka didn't have Padmé's heart. The suit would have never blocked Padmé from seeing him. But Ahsoka couldn't see it that way and that was one of the ways she was different from Padmé. In fact, he wondered if she hadn't been so close to his wife if she would have brought him Leia to begin with.

He didn't like to dwell on his past. A Sith wasn't supposed to care about having friends, but Padmé and Ahsoka had been two of the only people he could ever completely trust or would trust. They had come after him even when they didn't agree with him and he was sure he could have convinced them both to join him had Obi-Wan not shown up and ruined everything…

Perhaps this surgery was the first step in getting back some of the understanding he used to have with his former student, as he didn't too much care about friendship. But understanding was within his parameters. He was still a sith and she a Jedi-they both made that very clear to each other-but perhaps they could overlook, only for Leia's sake of course.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Where's Leia?" Vader asked when they came into the house.

"She's next door, I haven't gone to pick her up yet," Ahsoka said. "But I doubt I'll need to. She can sense you a parsec-."

They both heard the front door open and close.

"…away," Ahsoka finished as the girl ran into the living room.

"Daddy!" she said jumping up and down, dressed in a denim jumper with her hair tied in a ponytail.

She stopped jumping when she caught sight of Vader and squinted her eyes. Ahsoka smiled. It was what the girl did when she was trying to recognize someone by their force signature. It amazed Ahsoka that though the girl was untrained, Leia recognized or noticed people's force signature first and their appearance second. When she found Vader's signature to be correct, Leia ran into his arms.

"Daddy! You don't have on your mask!" Leia said in excitement.

"I know princess," he said sitting down on the couch with a bright smile… by Sith standards.

Leia pulled away from him and inspected his face, putting her hands on either side of it.

"Your hair isn't brown like mine," she said running her fingers over the new growth on Vader's head.

"I know," he said. "Your hair looks like your mother's."

"But your hair looks like Luke's," Leia said offhandedly shocking both Ahsoka and Vader. Vader looked past Leia to glare at Ahsoka, who shook her head in denial

Vader looked back at Leia. "Who's Luke princess?"

Leia answered him without missing a beat as she inspected his hands. "Luke's my brother."

"But sweetheart," Ahsoka said. "You don't-."

"He's going to come here one day, and we'll meet and then I won't let anyone take him anyway again."

"Leia," Vader started but Leia put her hands in her lap and looked at him.

"You look nice daddy. I like your face," she finally said softly and then frowned. "You're not going to put the mask back on are you?"

Vader decided he'd ask about Luke another time since it was obvious Leia was more concerned about him.

"No princess. Not when I'm with you," he said.

Leia grinned. "Good. I'm going to go get my speeder bike daddy. I fixed the engine! It works."

With that Leia ran back out the door to go get her bike. Ahsoka smiled after her. It was easy to forget that this was Vader and not Anakin she was looking at when Leia was around her father. It was when she left that Ahsoka remembered reality and reality was certainly returning as she nervously looked at Vader. He turned to her, and sensing his anger, Ahsoka shook her head.

"I swear I didn't tell her about Luke. I don't know how she knew," Ahsoka said to him as she felt that he was about to unleash his wrath on her.

"Then how did she know?" Vader asked.

"I don't know. Ask her if you want to know. I'm just as baffled as you are!"

"You're lying. The only way she could have know was if she learned some aspect of the force and you're the only one here to teach it," Vader accused. "Either that or you told her."

"I may not always agree with you, but I usually respect your wishes. I didn't teach her anything and I didn't tell her about Luke even if I don't see the big deal," Ahsoka said not backing down.

"You liar," Vader said and Ahsoka felt the force gathering around him warning her he was about to attack her.

"I'm not lying you bastard! And if you would get over your emotions and use the force to see that instead of jumping to conclusions and trying to attack me like you attacked Padmé, you would know it too," Ahsoka yelled. There went trying to be civil…

"Don't bring that up!" Vader warned.

"Why? Because you don't want to face it huh? You don't want to face the fact that it's your fault she died!" Ahsoka said before she thought about what she was saying and to be quite honest she didn't care.

"Daddy," Leia said running back into the house. "Come look at my-."

Leia stopped sensing the tension in the room and obvious anger between her father and guardian. Ahsoka and Vader both turned to look at her when they sensed her sadness, both forgetting their anger at each other when they noticed the tears in her eyes.

"Leia," they both managed to say before she flew up the steps to her room and slammed the door.

Vader cursed under his breath in huttese and Ahsoka sighed with her hands on her hips.

"Now look what you did," Ahsoka snapped.

Vader looked at her out the corner of his eyes. "Me. You're the one who got angry."

"Because you jumped to a conclusion about something that wasn't even my fault," Ahsoka shot and then added, "And you're one to talk about anger Mr. Sith Lord."

Vader didn't reply and instead headed up the steps. Ahsoka groaned.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To talk to Leia," Vader replied curtly.

Ahsoka followed him and before Vader could even knock, Leia said, "Go away."

"Princess," Vader said getting frustrated.

Ahsoka stood next to him. "Getting angry with her isn't going to work. You can't treat her like you treat officers in the fleet."

"Do you have a better idea?" Vader snapped.

Ahsoka knocked on the door. "Leia. Can I come in?"

"I want you to go away too Ahsoka," Leia replied.

"You were correct," Vader said, sarcasm laced in his tone. "That worked much better."

"Well at least I wasn't trying to treat her like a soldier," Ahsoka shot.

"I do not treat my daughter like a soldier."

"Not always."

Vader started to reply when Leia shouted through the door, "I hate it when you fight. Just stop it!"

Vader and Ahsoka exchanged a look and then grudgingly ceased their argument. Vader, having grown impatient with Leia swiped his hand over the lock and opened the door.

"Princess," he said in a softer tone then earlier.

Leia was laying on her bed with her back to them. She was quiet for a moment before she finally asked, "Why do you two fight so much?"

Vader and Ahsoka didn't quite know how to answer her and for once they were in agreement that whatever they said needed to pacify Leia's concern about their relationship or lack of one, but they'd deal with that later.

"It's complicated dear. You'll understand when you're older."

Vader rolled his eyes. That excuse hadn't worked on him when he was Leia's age and if she was anything like him it wouldn't work now.

"I do understand. I get that you're a Jedi and you're… you're… you're just not a Jedi whatever it is daddy, but does that mean you can't at least like each other?" she asked.

Ahsoka sat on the bed and pulled Leia to her.

"Why does it bother you so much little one?" she asked.

"I don't want to pick a side," she muttered. "Like when we pick teams at school."

"What makes you think that?" Vader asked raising his eyebrows, not thinking it would be good to mention that one day Leia would have to choose between the Jedi and the Sith. However, why did she feel that there was a need to pick a side now? As much as Ahsoka got on Vader's last nerve and triggered his temper, he tried not to force that attitude on Leia. He didn't too much like how attached Leia was to her guardian, but even he understood that she was six years old. What was he supposed to expect?

"There's a girl in my class and her dad's moving away because him and her mother don't get along and now she has to choose who she wants to live with. I don't want to do that," she said softly, waves off fear rolling off her in the force.

Ahsoka and Vader exchanged a wry look. The two weren't anywhere near being married, but they both knew Ahsoka was the only mother figure Leia had as much as Ahsoka denied it. So that was why Leia was so bothered with their fighting. Although Vader's and Ahsoka's relationship was complicated enough, it wasn't nearly as complicated as a marriage that was falling apart.

"You don't have to choose between us," Vader said trying to comfort her.

"But you said you would get rid of Ahsoka if she bothered you too much," Leia said.

Vader went through his memory and recalled several occasions where he had said something along those lines (he was impressed Leia had the intuition not to say it _as harsh_ as he had), but he wasn't aware Leia had been listening in on them. He would definitely be soundproofing the walls.

"I didn't mean it," Vader reluctantly said to comfort his daughter's fears. It wasn't quite a lie, but it wasn't the truth either.

"Then why did you say it," Leia asked with her arms crossed as she looked at her father expectantly.

"When adults get angry with one another, they sometimes say things they don't mean. I'm not sending Ahsoka anywhere any time soon," Vader assured knowing that his words would come back to haunt him later judging by the amusement he felt coming from Ahsoka at his attempts to calm his daughter. Ahsoka was definitely going to use that against him.

"You promise," Leia asked.

Vader paused. That would prove to be a difficult promise to keep but if Leia wanted it then so be it. He could live with it… for now.

"I promise."

"And will you stop fighting," Leia asked them both.

Vader's and Ahsoka's eyes met, both knowing that if they said anything to Leia now, they would have to genuinely mean it or she would sense their half effort.

"We'll try," they both finally said grudgingly.

Leia was silent and then deciding she was happy with the reply said, "Will you stay with me tonight?"

"Alright Leia. I'll stay here," Ahsoka said running a hand through Leia's hair.

"I meant both of you," she said with a shy smile.

"You're pushing it," Vader said starting out the room. "I'll be next door if you need anything."

"Daddy please!"

Ahsoka knew Vader's resolve was gone at that and she groaned. This was going to be awkward, really awkward.

"Go get ready for bed," he said. "We'll be here when you come out,"

When Leia was in the bathroom Vader sighed. "I can't believe I'm doing this."

"What would the fleet do if they knew the only person that could bring Vader to his knees was a six year old girl," Ahsoka teased dryly.

Vader grumbled something under his breath as he took off his boots and pulled off his tunic. Ahsoka turned her back to him as she removed her boots just as Leia came out the bathroom in her nightgown. She went to the corner of her room where all her stuffed toys were and picked out an angel before climbing in the middle of the bed.

Ahsoka and Vader both laid down next to her on either side with their back turned to each other, and if they had both turned around they would have seen Leia roll her eyes with a knowing smile.

"Good night Daddy," she said kissing his cheek. "Good night Ahsoka," she said doing the same.

"Good night princess," the both finally said as Vader turned out the lights with the force.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** I must say, writing Leia has been an enjoyable experience as was writing this scene. I wonder if any of you picked up the hint that I threw in at the end but if you didn't, you'll know soon.

I really do enjoy writing this love/hate thing between Vader and Ahsoka with Leia being their only common thread and Vader's musings are really fun too. All in all, this story has all the aspects of a story I love to write and so it was easy to write all the way through in the week it took me to write the three fourths of it I had left when I decided to go ahead and finish it.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: **First of all, thank you for the reviews! Thirteen reviews! I love reading them.

Second, I start school today and it looks like I'll have a part time job soon so I'll be busy, busy, busy. But I'm not worried because the more stuff I have to do, the better I use my I'll have Light of Liberty finished soon and then I can work on this without knowing I have something else to write.

This has more Vader and Ahsoka magic and the ending if mostly Vader's point of view. So enjoy.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Five**

The next morning, Ahsoka became immediately aware of two things. One was that Leia was no longer in between her and Vader. The next thing was that she was leaned against Vader, her face buried in his chest and his arm was wrapped around her. She used to dream about this before the clone wars ended, but then she found out about Padmé and pushed the dream aside in favor of helping her through her pregnancy. Then the Jedi were wiped out, Anakin became Vader and had his accident on Mustafar, and Ahsoka stole Leia from the Jedi and focused on taking care of her for her father, and it had since been abandoned because Vader was no longer the same man he used to be although she saw his old self when he was with Leia.

But for that moment, that short moment in time, she had a fantasy that there was no war, no hiding, no missing son, no Sith Lord, just her, Anakin and Leia who was conveniently missing at the moment. She snapped herself out her daydream and came back to reality. She hated Vader and the only reason she was around was for Leia's sake.

She slowly breathed in and out and tried to pull from his grip before he awoke.

"Finally," he said and Ahsoka cursed her luck as he pulled his arm away but continued to lie there nonetheless with his arm now folded over his chest.

"How long have you been up?" Ahsoka asked as she was too stunned and admittedly embarrassed to do move anyway.

"A while. Leia did not wish for me to disturb you and so I remained," he said simply. "She went to go help Threepio with something."

"Was it Leia or was it your subtle way of trying to be nice for once?" Ahsoka asked.

Vader didn't reply and if that was the case, he didn't let on to it. Instead he simply laid there and Ahsoka noticed he was strangely content about something, a contrast to how he usually was. Vader always felt like he was conflicted or at war with himself and Ahsoka imagined he was being that the person he had become wasn't himself. He just wouldn't accept it.

Instead of pushing the conversation in that direction though, Ahsoka sighed and crossed her arms.

"It wasn't your fault you know," she finally said.

"What wasn't?"

"Padmé's death," Ahsoka muttered. "You didn't kill her. I was just talking out of anger last night. It wasn't your fault. She chose to die."

"What are you talking about?" Vader asked turning his head slightly to look at her.

Ahsoka could understand that he was curious. She had never truly told him what had happened to Padmé, what caused her to die and she guessed she had been so angry at him during the aftermath that she thought he deserved to suffer in his silent misery over the thought that he had killed her.

"She was perfectly fine if only a little heartbroken over everything. I guess you can say she died of a broken heart."

"Then it was my fault," Vader said in a cold uncaring tone that told Ahsoka he was trying to suppress the emotions that came with talking about this.

"No it wasn't," Ahsoka replied softly as she glanced at him, unknowingly scooting closer to him. "She didn't have to choose to die. Padmé was a fighter. She could have overcome that, but she chose not to. In the end she made the choice. Physically there was nothing wrong with her. So no, it wasn't your fault."

Vader was silent and Ahsoka sighed sitting up on her elbows before pushing herself to sit all the way up. She started to swing her legs off the bed, but Vader put his hand on her arm to stop her.

"Thank you," he said and then let his arm fall as he got up from the bed.

Leia burst into the room at that moment with a dress on, a sundress, for the first time in days since she had been working on the speeder.

"You're finally up," she said coming in with her sandals on. "Good. It's almost time to go."

"Go where?" Ahsoka asked. "And why do you have your shoes on in the house?"

"Sorry Ahsoka," Leia said with a bright smile as she slipped the sandals off and jumped on the bed. "We're going out to lunch in the park."

"Excuse me?" Vader asked. "What did you say princess?"

"We're going to having lunch in the park. Threepio's already packing it and I thought about taking my speeder bike, but it's not done yet," Leia said ecstatically.

Ahsoka glanced at the clock on the wall and was indeed surprised to see that it was nearly midday. It made her wonder how long Vader had been awake with her sleeping under him. She pushed the thought out her mind and turned to address Leia.

"Your father's supposed to be resting."

"He's been resting all night. Besides, he feels fine to me. Come on. Please?" Leia asked looking at Vader who was strangely quiet about the request.

Ahsoka raised her eyebrows and then turned to look at Vader. This was his call.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Just this once. Don't expect it to be a regular occurrence."

"Yay!" Leia yelled and rushed out the room to tell Artoo and Threepio, her sandals in tow.

Ahsoka followed her out the room intending to make sure in her effort to get everything ready, Leia didn't make a mess, but it seemed that's what Vader was going to do. So she went to her own room to get ready. When she came out thirty minutes later, she heard Leia sounding exasperated talking to her father.

"Daddy. You can't wear that to the park. You look all… serious. And do you have to wear black?" she asked.

"Princess," Vader warned but Leia didn't care as she saw Ahsoka come up behind them.

"Ahsoka tell him he can't wear that," Leia said to her.

Ahsoka looked at Vader. It wasn't as serious as Leia made it out to be. But she was right. It would look better if it weren't all black.

"I can't make him do anything Leia. Be glad he's going to begin with," Ahsoka said shrugging indifferently as she grabbed the basket off the counter that Threepio had prepared.

Leia huffed. "Daddy!"

Vader ignored her and grabbed the keys to his speeder. Leia quickly forgot about her displeasure at her father for his dress and led the way out the door. She crawled into the middle front seat of the speeder and Ahsoka slid next to her in the passenger seat with her arms cross.

"Come Artoo and Threepio. Hurry up!" Leia shouted bouncing with excitement.

"We droids don't walk as fast as you do Miss Leia," Threepio said to her as Artoo rolled in front using his jet boosters to lift himself into the back seat of the speeder. Threepio slid next to him just as an impatient Vader pulled out the driveway.

"Watch your driving," Ahsoka commented. "Leia's in the front seat."

"Do you think I would put my daughter in danger with reckless driving?" Vader snapped.

"You're not supposed to be arguing," Leia reminded and the two adults were silent the rest of the way to the park.

Once there, Leia leapt over Ahsoka and out the speeder to run ahead of them.

"Oh Miss Leia," Threepio said. "Wait. You shouldn't run off by yourself."

"Daddy, Ahsoka hurry up," Leia yelled. "I know the perfect spot."

Vader sat in the driver's seat for a moment and when Ahsoka got out she turned to him.

"Stop being so anti-social and come on. Don't ruin it for her. All you have to do is pretend you're having a good time," Ahsoka said exasperated with Vader's attitude.

"I'm coming," he grumbled and walked past Ahsoka to follow Leia.

Ahsoka tried not to laugh as she watched him walk. He looked the part of a military man when he walked like that.

"So you really find it all that hard to relax a little?" Ahsoka asked as they walked. Her only response was a glare, but it said enough. He was telling her he was there and not to push her luck.

"What took you so long," Leia said as she tried with difficulty to straighten out the blanket. Ahsoka bent down to help her as she sat the lunch basket on the blanket.

When Leia was satisfied, she sat down on it. "See Daddy? It's the perfect spot, right by the gardens."

Vader only stared at the scene for a moment before he slowly sat down on the opposite side of Ahsoka with Leia in the middle.

"What's wrong Daddy?" Leia asked frowning at her father's sudden sad mood.

Vader blinked. "Nothing princess. Just thinking."

Leia grabbed the basket and began to take out food.

"I told him to pack some fruit and chips and some sandwiches in case you and Ahsoka wanted some. But I don't like sandwiches. Oh," Leia said taking out the small red sweet candies Threepio had packed inside of the basket. "Yummy."

Ahsoka plucked them right out of Leia's hands. "Lunch first."

Leia pouted but picked up a piece of fruit and began to munch on it as she turned around to play with the flowers they were next to. While her back was turned, Ahsoka took one of the candies and plopped it in her mouth.

"Hypocrite," Vader said from where he was with what might have been a hint of a smile. Ahsoka wasn't sure. She might have been imagining it.

"What's got you in such a mood?" Ahsoka then asked having noticed the shift in Vader's mood earlier as well.

She and Vader might not have been on good terms, but realistically speaking, she was the only one he really had to talk to. And sometimes they managed a civil conversation though they were far and few in between. Ahsoka had a feeling though that with his surgery behind him now, they would be much more frequent. That mask and armor was like a blockage for her, a constant reminder that he wasn't the same person. At least now, she could pretend he wasn't Darth Vader and that he was only Anakin Skywalker and she was his close friend, well more like an employee, who took care of his daughter when he was away.

"Padmé," Vader finally muttered after a few moments as he watched Leia inspect a harmless insect as it sucked nectar out a flower. The girl gently stroked one of its wings and then giggled when they fluttered some.

"What about her?" Ahsoka asked carefully. When he mentioned her, his mood could swing either way. Hopefully, he wouldn't ruin this for Leia.

"She said the same thing."

"Said what," Ahsoka said trying to remain patient but that was hard to do when Vader kept giving cryptic answers.

"About the perfect spot being right by the gardens," Vader said and Ahsoka had a feeling that was all she was going to get out of him.

She racked her brain trying to figure out what he meant until a memory of one of her conversations with Padmé came up where she mentioned that she and Anakin had fallen in love on Naboo when he was protecting her in the Lake Country. Then she mentioned wanting to go back there and have her baby and that Ahsoka would go with her to set up the baby's room which would have been right next to the gardens, the perfect spot.

"Oh," Ahsoka said nodding her head.

Vader shook his head and began to flex his right mechanical arm. He insisted he keep it despite the fact that the doctors had been willing to replace it too. Ahsoka supposed it was just him being nostalgic and sentimental, though he adamantly denied it when she pointed it out a few days ago.

"Ahsoka that's no fair," Leia said turning back around. "How come you get candy first?"

Ahsoka blinked and noticed she was indeed about to put another piece of candy in her mouth. Caught.

"Because I'm an adult and won't spoil my appetite," she said to Leia who crossed her arms not satisfied with the answer.

Ahsoka handed her the candy.

"You want one Daddy?" Leia asked holding out a piece of candy to her father.

"No thanks, princess."

"But you haven't eaten anything," Leia pointed out and Ahsoka realized that the girl was indeed right. "Aren't you hungry?"

Vader shook his head and Ahsoka started to argue with him before she realized that this would be his first time eating anything in five years. His condition in the suit had made it impossible before and right after his surgery, the doctor had him on a strict liquid diet to get his digestive system on track again after it had virtually started to shut down from not being used.

Still, that wasn't an excuse. So with newfound determination she reach into the basket, grabbed some cut up fruit on the grounds that his first taste of food after five years should be something sweet, and held it up to him on a fork.

"Don't be such a party pooper," she said getting on her knees and leaning as close to him as she dared to go.

"I'll pass," he said putting her hand down, but Ahsoka only raised it again, a playful smile gracing her expression. Vader had to wonder if she had forgotten who he was. In fact, he almost forgot who he was as he was so stunned at how bold she was being, knowing how volatile he could get when his annoyance turned to anger.

"Stop being so stubborn. Just one piece of fruit and I'll leave you alone," Ahsoka promised and then turned to Leia. "Help me."

"Please daddy. Just one piece?" she asked crawling over to him and hugging him around the neck.

Vader probably would have pushed Ahsoka away if Leia hadn't been sitting there. Having Ahsoka in such close proximity made him uncomfortable sometimes (not that he'd ever admit that out loud). But Leia was there and not only that, she had her arms around him with her head on his shoulder, so if he did try to push Ahsoka, he'd probably end up accidently pushing Leia too.

He sighed impatiently. "You promise you'll leave me alone."

"Yes," Ahsoka and Leia said, but Vader saw the mischief sparkling in their eyes. Yeah right…

He took the fork from Ahsoka and put the fruit in his mouth before passing it back to her.

"Happy?" he asked

Ahsoka and Leia glanced at each other before nodding and settling back into their own spots on the blanket. Leia ate her candy in silence before setting it down, obviously tired of sitting down, and standing up.

"Let's play tag," she said.

"Leia-." Vader began but Ahsoka cut him off.

"Sure," Ahsoka said.

"Ahsoka."

"She's never played tag with you before. Can you blame her for wanting to do things she's never done with you while you were in that suit?" she asked.

"Why do you always have to bring up how Leia feels into everything?" Vader asked.

"Because she's your number one weakness," Ahsoka said.

"My only weakness," Vader stressed to her but stood up to play nonetheless.

"You can't tell me that deep down somewhere you're not enjoying yourself," Ahsoka said with her arms crossed as Leia watched them curiously.

Vader was silent and Ahsoka wasn't sure if that was because he didn't want to admit she was right or if he had simply decided that he felt no obligation to grace her with a response.

"Not it!" Leia declared. "Come on Artoo and Threepio. Let's go hide."

"Not it," Ahsoka said starting to follow her but notice Vader was only staring at them with an oddly pensive look on his face. She put her hands on her hips. "What now?"

She thought he wasn't going to answer, but he did and he sounded a little baffled and concerned.

"Do you get the feeling that some way, somehow, we're both being played by a six year old?" he asked.

"Played how?"

"I mean like Leia's up to something. I feel like I'm being walked into a trap or something," Vader replied. It could be that he was just reading too much into it or Leia was great at being subtle and conniving even at her young age (which were great characteristics of a Sith, Vader mused). But judging by the way Ahsoka looked at him, she felt it too.

Finally she shrugged. "Let's just humor her then."

With that she ran off behind Leia and Vader crossed his arms. He would have to have a long talk with Leia about this eventually when Ahsoka wasn't around to stop him. As he suspected though, he never did get the chance to as Leia practically clung to Ahsoka like a little duckling did to its mother and Vader supposed it was reasonable as he could sense Leia thought of Ahsoka as her mother even though she would never say it.

It amazed him how many things he hadn't noticed about Leia and, by proxy, Ahsoka, while in his suit. He never noticed how tender and nurturing Ahsoka was to Leia and how Leia responded and how the woman would stop whatever she was doing when the girl called her name. She was like Padmé and not like her at the same time. Vader doubted Padmé would have let Leia get away some of the things Ahsoka didn't mind. Ahsoka had a habit of letting Leia stay up on weekends to pig out on ice cream and junk food. She and Leia had target practice in the backyard using a simulator Ahsoka had ordered (When Vader asked about teaching Leia how to use a blaster Ahsoka smartly said that Vader specifically told her not to teach the girl about the force and that if Leia couldn't use the force she needed to know how to defend herself somehow. He reluctantly admitted she was right).

Another observation he made was that Leia, much to Vader's surprise, was more of a tomboy than he'd realized. She had an obvious fascination for piloting and mechanics. Most of her time had been spent on trying to fix the old speeder bike she found and since it was something both father and daughter enjoyed, Vader helped her with it. Ahsoka, who didn't mind flying but wasn't as interested in mechanics as they were, would idly watch them. When Vader secretly showed Leia how to ride it and took her for a ride, Ahsoka was obviously displeased with the fact which sparked one of the few arguments they had during his recovery…. the gall of her to insinuate that he would ever do something to put his own child in danger. He had been with her the entire time. However, he had to admit, he found her reaction more amusing than he let on. That was certainly a reaction Padmé would have had. It must be a women's thing…

But he later realized he had opened the door to Leia's curiosity when he spotted her observing one of his custom speeders in the small speeder collection he had in the garage. So he mentioned to Ahsoka to watch Leia as she got tall enough to reach the throttle, because now that she pretty much knew how to work the controls of a speeder it was only a matter of time before she started trying to go for joy rides. He should know as he had been driving since he was four. Vader had the distinct feeling that he was going to have to deal with a speeder incident in the near future…

He also never realized how sad Ahsoka seemed sometimes although she was careful never to show it around Leia. When he asked her about it, she reluctantly admitted that she missed the adventure of being a jedi and that Leia reminded her of Padmé sometimes. It then struck Vader that Ahsoka probably missed Padmé about as much as he did. He didn't know how he missed all this and why he was suddenly seeing it then. He chalked it up to his rapidly returning force power which was a result of gaining his strength back after his surgery and _not_ because he was starting to become more considerate and aware of Ahsoka.

Somewhere in the midst of his observing though, Vader realized he was observing things Ahsoka did a little too much, and they were having less and less arguments. Without him realizing it, they had settled into a comfortable existence with each other in the few weeks he was there.

He wondered if that had to do with Leia making them promise to try to get along or that without his suit acting as a barrier between them, she felt she could relax a little more around him and act like two people who didn't get along all the time instead of a Jedi and Sith who never got along. It was probably a mixture of both. That suit had been depressing and interfered with more aspects of his life that he had realized when he was in it. So when it was time to put it back on when he had to leave, he was in a notably bad mood.

Leia had already said her good-byes to him and was tucked safely in bed knowing that her father wouldn't be there in the morning. Vader sighed as he put the heavy suit back on. He came out the room on his shuttle and was surprised to find Ahsoka standing outside the door with his helmet in hand.

She was staring at it with a mixture of sadness, contempt, and what appeared to be regret. About what? He didn't know.

"No wonder you were so angry earlier. Bet you really didn't want to put this thing back on," Ahsoka said with a bitter smile.

"You don't want to see me in it," he pointed out.

"It hid your face," Ahsoka said after a moment's pause. "Leia wasn't the only one who wanted to see it. And now you've got to hide behind it again."

"You didn't have to come," Vader said trying to repress the un-sith-like feelings that were starting to resurface.

"I needed to," Ahsoka muttered truthfully. "That way I can make sure you're putting it on because you have to hide from the emperor, not because you need it."

With that she handed him the mask part first and he put it on his face. When he reached for the helmet part, she wouldn't hand it to him and instead put it on herself and latched it into place. The mechanical breathing filled the room as soon as it was latched.

"Thank you," Vader said.

"You're welcome," she said knowing that he was thanking her for more than just latching his helmet.

Ahsoka turned on her heal and left the ship and for the first time in the last five years Vader felt and ache I his heart, but he pushed it aside. Time to get back to the empire.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** Okay. So the next chapter is a time jump and it takes place three years after this which just goes to show how slow moving this romance actually is. I enjoy writing Leia at that age. She's not a child, but she'd not quite a teenager. You'll see. I have to go to school today. A PE class and it's interval training. Sounds interesting and I've never had a problem with exercise as it takes me a while to get tired. But I think that's because I have a powerful will and like the characters I'm writing about, I'm stubborn more than anything… Got to go.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: **This is one of my favorite chapters in this story because it is essentially Leia's chapter. So she's nine years old now and her perception of things is sharper than it was when she was six, but still the simplistic view of a child. Lol. Only a few of you caught on to the hint I dropped at the end of chapter four and the one that in five if you look close enough. This kind of sets up all the pieces on the board.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Six

"Hey Leia," a boy shouted to the nine year old girl trying to secure her speeder bike.

Leia looked up and smiled at the Mon Calamari boy coming her way.

"Hey Abdul," she said as she finished securing her bike. Abdul shook his head.

"I still can't believe Ahsoka let's your ride that thing to school. You're barely tall enough to reach the foot rests," he said.

"Ahsoka doesn't like me to ride them. My dad lets me," Leia pointed out. "And I told you, my dad helped me make adjustments to it so I can reach them."

"Still," her Twi'lek friend Lana said to her. "You're so lucky. You dad gets you whatever you want."

"I built this from an old bike on the side walk," Leia said running her hand on the slick red-painted metal.

"That doesn't mean he doesn't get you whatever you want," said Abdul as they headed to their class.

"Ahsoka won't let him. She says he'll spoil me," Leia answered. "And to be honest, my dad only indulges in my speeder hobby. Other than that, he doesn't believe I should get attached to material possessions."

"But nothing's too good for daddy's little princess," Abdul teased and instead of blushing in embarrassment, Leia shrugged.

"How are they anyway?" Lana asked

"Fine. Dad's away in the fleet again and Ahsoka is doing what she always does," Leia said sitting in her seat between Lana and Abdul.

"That's good, but that's not what I mean," Lana said. "I'm talking about your little matchmaking game."

Leia shrugged a she went over what she had observed lately. "They don't argue as much anymore. Now they only fight about something once or twice a week, and it's not nearly as bad as it was a few years ago. Sometimes it even seems like they're playing."

"Are you sure you're not just getting more out of this than what's there?" Lana asked. "I mean, you've been working at this for almost four years."

"What's that saying?" Leia said pausing to think before snapping her finger. "Coruscant wasn't built in a day. Things like this take time, especially when my dad isn't even home more than half the time. But I'm willing to wait. Ahsoka says that patience is always rewarded."

"But at this rate, your reward won't come until you've gotten married and had your own children," Abdul said.

"Well this will give me something to do in the mean time," Leia said determined, ignoring her friend's doubts about the whole thing.

She wasn't giving up now, not after all the progress she had made in the last four years. It had all started when she noticed that all the children in her class had two parents for the most part, but Leia knew she had two parents. Her mother was just dead. Then she learned that Lana's mother wasn't her real mother. Lana then explained to Leia that her real mother was also dead, but her father married a human that was now her mother. If Lana hadn't told her, Leia would have never known because she wore Lana looked like her step-mother, just a Twi'lek version.

However, it suddenly occurred to Leia, that if that were the case, why hadn't her dad ever married again. Sometimes she wondered if Ahsoka and her dad thought she was stupid. Sure they always fought, but there was something else underneath all that and one day she had coaxed Ahsoka into telling her that she and her father used to be friends. Keywords: used to. So Leia wondered why they couldn't be friends again. Or better yet, why couldn't they be more than friends. Even at five years old, Leia knew the difference between just friends like she was with Lana and Abdul and something more like when adults got married or even dated.

Ahsoka was practically her mother anyway, the only female figure Leia had to look up to. So why couldn't she be with her father. The problem was getting her and Leia's father to stop fighting. So Leia watched them interact and carefully probed both her guardians about each other. Ahsoka never spoke badly about her father to Leia. In fact, it seemed she admired him a little. Her father never put down Ahsoka to Leia. He always told her how Ahsoka was the only person and Jedi, for that matter, who she could fully and completely trust. Leia couldn't help but notice they didn't act towards each other in the light that they portrayed each other to her and that's when she realized that when Ahsoka looked at her father, she never saw her father. She just saw the suit. She would stare at it and look at it with hate, even though Leia was sure she didn't really hate her father.

So Leia decided that the first order of business was to get her dad out that suit. To be honest, Leia couldn't have cared less whether her father was out the suit or not (though she really did want to see his face and take him outside). He was her father regardless, but Ahsoka did care and it effected how she saw her father. So she put up the pretense of wanting to see how he looked knowing he wouldn't let her and figuring that since she could get him to do just about anything else for her, her father would find a way to let her see him. Her plan had worked like a charm and only a few months later her father walked in the house without the suit and she could feel that Ahsoka wasn't as hateful toward him anymore.

Then she had to make them stop fighting all the time. That had been tricky because she couldn't directly interfere in it, but had to make it seem like their fighting upset her (In reality, it didn't. She actually found it funny the way they forced themselves not to get along because a Jedi and… whatever her dad was weren't supposed to). However, it had upset her when she thought her father was about to attack Ahsoka on his first day back home without the suit. That had horrified her, but it also helped her make them promise to try to get along.

Now, after four years, Leia was positive her father and Ahsoka were just in denial, feeling more comfortable ignoring whatever they had than facing it. Leia just had to figure out what was making them do it.

Other than that, it was a matter of waiting to see who would crack first and knowing her father, it would be him.

"Hey Tano," a boy behind her, her rival, said snapping her out her thoughts. "Want to race after school?"

"Not on my bike after it nearly got totaled last time we raced," Leia whispered back careful not to catch the attention of her teachers.

"Then go get one of your dad's speeders. It's not like he doesn't have them to spare in that garage of yours," he said to her.

"Are you nuts? He'll kill me," Leia replied.

"Scared?"

Leia scowled. "I whoop your butt every time and you know it Stanton."

"Then I'll meet you on the outskirts after school."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Leia," Lana said as Leia redid the engine on her dad's speeders.

"What?"

"Your dad's going to kill you when he finds out what you're doing," Abdul said.

"He might be initially but then he'll be more concerned about whether I won or not," Leia said offhandedly as she finished her adjustments and closed the hood. "My dad's nothing to be afraid of."

Abdul looked at her like she had grown two heads. "Are you kidding! Your dad's only a few centimeters short of two meters and he has muscles, big muscles! And he wears all black and is all serious," then he added in a low whisper. "Not to mention your dad is _Darth Vader._ If that's nothing to be afraid of, tell me Tano, what is?"

Leia rolled her eyes at her best friend. He was one of her two friends (Lana was the other) that knew her dad was Vader. As far as all the other children knew, even the one whose parents were spies, he worked for the military. She turned away from him as Stanton called her over to look at the engine of the new racer his father had gotten him. The older and bigger boy crossed his arm over his chest.

"What you think Tano? Scared?"

Leia gave a quick glance at the engine, no more than a second and then looked at Stanton.

"Are you sure it's alright to race this?" she asked. It looked to be more built for looks than speed and fancy maneuvers.

"Of course it is. It's brand new. Now let's go," he said.

Leia rolled her eyes and got in her speeder. "Enough talking, let's race. Lana, stand to the side and record so we can make sure we get the right winner. One lap around the perimeter of town."

Stanton told his friend to do the same as the both started up their speeders.

Abdul shot the blaster in the air and the two took off. Leia relaxed as she let herself practically become one with the speeder as she went. She breathed out a sigh of relief as the restlessness that had slowly built up in her went away. Driving was exhilarating, even though technically she wasn't old enough and her feet barely reached the accelerator.

Stanton may have been three years older than her, but she was clearly the more experienced driver. In fact, she had more skills behind a wheel than most adults. As they passed into the forest, Leia became aware that Stanton was trying to match her speed. She frowned. He'd kill himself. Not only didn't he have her skill, his speeder didn't have her modifications. If he didn't slow down either he would lose control or his engine would burn out and at that speed, if his engine went out, he'd kill himself.

Leia reluctantly slowed down as they got closer to exiting the forest. She'd rather lose than have someone kill themselves from being reckless. Of course, she was being reckless too, but she had the powers to risk it and even she didn't push it. She only went slightly faster than average.

Then Leia felt something like tickle in the back of her mind, a voice whispering to her, telling her to stop the race. Something was wrong.

Leia turned on her radio and picked up on the frequency of Stanton's radio.

"Stanton," she said to him. "We have to stop the race."

"What are you trying to pull Tano?"

"I'm not trying to pull anything," Leia replied. "Just stop. If it makes you feel better, I'll stop first."

Leia shifted the gears of the speeder and pressed her foot on the breaks. When it was obvious there was no way she was going to speed back up (because even if she did, her speeder didn't have that good of an accelerator), Stanton slowed down and came to a stop himself. He got out his speeder and stormed over to Leia who was already walking away from the speeders counting on Stanton to follow her.

"What the hell is this Tano?" he yelled following her.

"Leia, what's going on?" Abdul asked coming her way.

"No!" Leia said hearing the whisper even more now. "Stay back."

Lana and Abdul stopped and when Leia came up to them she crossed her arms looking at the speeders from the distance.

"Stang it Tano," Stanton yelled facing her with his friend standing next to him. "What-?"

Stanton didn't finish because the explosion of his speeder sounded in the air. The blast and resulting fire consumed not only his speeder but Leia's too and the children raised their arms to protect their faces from the spoke and debris. When it cleared, they looked at the speeders, now nothing but burning metal and rubber.

"Aw Stang," Stanton said. "Tano! What the hell was that?"

Leia ignored him as she and everyone else continued to stare.

"Uh-oh," she said. Her dad may spoil her, but he was going to be furious when he found out that she's wrecked one of his custom speeders, even though it wasn't really her fault…

"Your dad's going to kill all of us," Abdul squeaked.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahsoka didn't even know why she bothered anymore. She would fuss at Leia and then in two days, the girl would be right back in trouble. It must have been a Skywalker gene, Ahsoka mused. The girl swore that she never went looking for trouble. She just wanted to have a little fun, but the problem was when her definition of fun turned into trouble.

"Let me get this straight Leia," Ahsoka said to her, lekku turning a little red in her anger. "You took one of your dad's speeders, fixed the engine to make it fly faster and be able to handle the sharp turns and crazy flying maneuvers, raced that boy Alec Stanton, and was about to win when he decided to push the engine a little more to keep up with you."

"Yes," Leia said avoiding Ahsoka's eyes.

Ahsoka wasn't even going to ask _how_ she snuck into the garage and got the speeder without her noticing.

"Keep going," Ahsoka said patiently.

"Well, I noticed he was going too fast and his speeder wasn't going to be able to take it and even if they could, he doesn't have the reflexes to fly it safely. So I was about to slow down, but then… I felt a warning."

"A warning," Ahsoka asked curiously.

"Yes," Leia replied softly. "I told him over the radio to stop the race. I think his engine had overheated or something. I don't know. I just knew we had to stop."

It was then Ahsoka noticed the difference in Leia's demeanor. Normally the girl would look her straight in the eye without fear or caring about what she had done, take her scolding all the while rolling her eyes and then sulk in her room when Ahsoka took her mechanic and limited driving privileges away.

"What happened?"

"He didn't want to at first, but… I managed to convince him that I would stop too. So he did. Everyone started to run to our ships to see what was wrong and Alec was yelling at me, but I didn't care. I told everyone to get away from the speeders. They all thought I was crazy until when were about fifteen or twenty meters away and the ship exploded," Leia replied.

Ahsoka sighed as Leia crossed her arms and sat down on the sofa.

"Alec blamed it all on me. He said it was because I had freaky Jedi powers and that I rigged his speeder, but Lana and Abdul told him it wasn't true. But I think even they were a little freaked out about how I knew the speeder was going to explode. It wouldn't have bothered me so much if I actually understood how my power worked… Sometimes it scares me Ahsoka," Leia admitted quietly.

Ahsoka didn't even have the heart to punish the girl anymore. This wasn't really her fault. Well, it was, but Ahsoka couldn't punish her. Leia was scared of powers she knew nothing about.

"Go to your room and get cleaned up. Your father called. He'll be here this afternoon," Ahsoka said with a smile and Leia's eyes lit up in excitement as she forgot about her worries and started to run to her room, then she stopped.

"You're not going to tell him what happened are you?" Leia asked.

"Not to get you in trouble," Ahsoka assured and Leia smiled before running up the stairs.

"Miss Ahsoka," Threepio said coming into the room. "Is Miss Leia alright. She's back home early today."

"We had to take care of something," Ahsoka said tiredly.

"Oh I do wish Miss Leia would stop getting into so much trouble. I worry about her sometimes. She does such awful and dangerous things," Threepio said. "Even Artoo sometimes doesn't agree with her ideas."

Ahsoka sighed. When Artoo wasn't encouraging Leia to participate in a healthy amount of trouble, something was wrong. She sighed. How was she going to get this across to Vader without him losing his temper at her? She looked around the kitchen and laid her eyes on an appliance. The best time to talk to Vader was when he was fixing something broken.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** So what did you think? I wanted a way to involve Leia into the story more than just the little girl that watches her father and guardian's romance unfold. I noticed that in stories where authors have to juggle the adult and children's perspective, the perspective of the children gets limited to the children talking about how ridiculous they think the adults are being and then doing obvious things to set them up because the couple needs each other. I don't think children are that selfless. I could get into it more but I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: **This is another of my favorite chapters to writes. Why? Well you can read it and you'll see. I'm not spoiling a thing. Just know that you all are going to love this chapter.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Seven**

"She did what?" Vader asked abruptly stopping his task of fixing a kitchen appliance for Ahsoka.

"She had a race and the speeder of the boy she was racing exploded and totaled one of your speeders. If she hadn't felt something was wrong, the boy would have been killed," Ahsoka added as she felt Vader's fury.

"Where is she?" Vader asked setting down his tool. "Leia!"

"Vader wait a minute," Ahsoka said following him as he started to go up the stairs to his daughter.

"I can't believe her. She's done a lot of reckless things and I admit I let her get away with them. But this is crossing the line," Vader said starting up the stairs and then muttered, "One of my custom speeders. Does she know how much they're worth?"

"Coming from the guy who was podracing when he was nine years old," Ahsoka said dryly as she grabbed his arm to stop him. "Besides, who cares about what she did to your custom speeders. You can just replace it. But right now she's spooked."

"She should be. She almost killed herself," Vader said snatching his arm away even though he had stopped his ascent.

"Do you wonder how she knew the speeder was going to explode though?" Ahsoka asked pointedly.

Confusion flashed in Vader's eyes before his frown became deeper in realization.

"She used the force," he said. "What did you tell her when she asked you?"

Ahsoka sighed. "She's not falling for that intuitive child thing anymore. She knows it's something and one of those boys called her a freak, a girl with freaky jedi powers at that."

"Remind me to pay him a visit later," Vader said still more perturbed with his daughters actions than concerned about her growing force power.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Vader! We have to tell her something, that this is all normal. She thinks she's crazy. I mean how is she supposed to explain that she hears something like a whisper in her mind instructing and guiding her?"

"No," Vader said stubbornly.

Ahsoka groaned in frustration. Her former master was even more stubborn and unreasonable as a Sith. Vader started to go back up the stairs but Ahsoka ducked under his arm and blocked the way. Vader raised an eyebrow at her, sighing impatiently.

"Move," he said to her.

Ahsoka crossed her arms. "Make me."

Vader stepped up to the next step. "Don't tempt me."

Ahsoka became very aware of how close Vader was to her and it wasn't the first time something like this had happened. The years after Vader's surgery had done something to their relationship. Sure they argued still, but it wasn't like before where there were heated emotions of hurt and betrayal behind them. Sometime after the surgery, they had come to some sort of understanding with each other. She didn't know if it had happened after she admitted he hadn't killed Padmé or in the few weeks after they had decided that for Leia's sake they would try to get along.

Along the way, it wasn't that they needed to get along. It was like they wanted to get along. Not that Ahsoka would ever admit it and if Vader felt the same, he sure as hell wasn't going to say anything either. It was the reason any time they tried to argue it ended up with Ahsoka almost playfully challenged him to do something and Vader almost playfully challenging her to try him. Normally, she might call him on his bluff (sometimes that wasn't wise) and she started to do so before she noticed that he was looking at her in a peculiar manner. A little embarrassed all of a sudden, she averted her gaze before walking back down the steps past him. She heard him turn to follow her, his feelings not exactly clear in the force.

"What now?" Vader asked irritated. It was always something with her. It was over a decade of knowing her and he still didn't understand her sometimes.

"Don't look at me like that?" Ahsoka said picking a book off the shelf in the living room and curling up in the corner with it.

"Why not?"

Ahsoka sighed, giving Vader an annoyed look. "Because it makes me uncomfortable. Happy?" she asked not knowing the effect she was having on Vader by saying that.

Vader stared at Ahsoka for a moment, and it was impossible to keep a smug smirk from appearing on his face. Ahsoka felt his smugness and look up at him with a sigh.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just that Padmé said something similar to me," he said, smirk still in place.

"That doesn't explain why you're so smug," Ahsoka said turning back to her book.

The smirk dropped from his face and he looked at her before turning to go up the stairs to talk to Leia.

"She said it because she didn't want me to fall in love with her and she didn't want to fall in love with me," he said not waiting to see her reaction. He didn't need to. She was obviously stunned through the force.

That was good, Vader mused. While Ahsoka sat and brooded over that, he could have a talk with Leia without her trying to protect the girl. It's not like he was going to do anything to her anyway.

Leia's room door was open and she was looking intently over some math homework. Vader never knew why she found it so hard. She had to know some kind of higher mathematics to mess with engines and calculate the speed a speeder was going to have after she modified it. Then again, it probably wasn't in engineering language.

"Hey daddy," she said as she closed the book.

Vader started to sit down on her bed and then noticed how messy it was. Apparently the girl had been trying to juggle studying for many different subjects at once. If she only put half as much effort into school as she did modifying and fixing old speeders…

"Let's take a walk princess," he suggested.

Leia jumped off her bed and grabbed a jacket out her closet before leading the way out her room. On her way towards the door, she noticed Ahsoka wasn't anywhere in sight and questioned her father about it.

"She might have gone out. She rarely gets a chance to do things watching you all day," Vader said but he knew darn well his comment had gotten to her. He would talk to her later though.

Leia accepted the answer as she went out the door but had the feeling it was something else. Her father was tense about something and she just wished her guardians would stop being so stubborn and admit they liked each other. It was that simple.

"So why did you want to take a walk?" Leia asked starting down the side of the street.

"I can't just want to take a walk with my daughter?" he asked with a small smile.

"You never do things like this just to do it," Leia pointed out. "I have to beg you to have lunch in the park. Ahsoka told you what I did today, didn't she?"

Vader sighed. "That was a very reckless stunt of you."

"It wasn't the first time I've raced that boy before," Leia said to him. "I got in trouble for racing on school grounds before."

"When did this happen?" Vader asked stopping to look at Leia who was looking as innocent as ever.

"All the time, but Ahsoka never banned me from doing it. Today was the first time anything like that happened," Leia muttered trailing off at the end.

Vader sighed. So Ahsoka was to blame for Leia getting away with racing like that. He wondered if it ever occurred to her to mention it sometime.

"Ahsoka told me you told her you knew something bad was going to happen and stopped the race."

Leia looked down at the ground. "I don't know how it happened. One minute I was winning the race and the next minute something told me to stop and get away… like a whisper. The next thing I knew I was stopping the race and walking away from the speeders. I knew Stanton would chase after me and so I was leading him away. We stopped and the speeder exploded. If I hadn't stopped the race Stanton… he would have died."

Vader didn't say anything as he waited for her to finish.

"I know I don't like him. But I don't want him to die. And he didn't understand… I don't even understand it," Leia admitted trying to keep the fear out her tone. "It's always with me though and it always whispers to me. It told me I had a brother named Luke. It showed me that he had blonde hair and blue eyes like you."

Leia looked at her father.

"I do have a brother don't I?" she asked.

Vader sighed. "Yes."

"Where is he?"

"It's complicated Leia…"

When he spoke like that, Leia knew it meant her father didn't want to talk about it and so she didn't say anything else about her brother.

"What are the whispers?" she asked him. "Is it bad?"

Vader knew right then he could no longer avoid explaining the force to Leia.

"It's not bad Leia. In fact, it means you've inherited more from me than just my bad temper," he said dryly

"I don't have a bad temper," Leia said haughtily.

"And you haven't gotten in trouble for fighting for your friend's honor in school?" Vader asked with a small smile.

Leia blushed and Vader put an arm around her shoulder.

"Having the power to tap into the Force is nothing to be ashamed of princess," Vader assured.

"The Force?" Leia asked.

"Yes. It a living energy that binds everyone and everything together in this universe and people like you and I can manipulate it to our advantage as well as hear its warnings," Vader explained simply. "One day in the future, I will teach you how to use the force."

"What about Ahsoka?" Leia asked.

"What about her?"

"She can use the force too," Leia replied simply. "But you and her use it different. That's why you don't completely get along or at least you try to act like you hate each other, but you don't."

Vader looked at Leia curiously. She seemed to know a lot more about people and their feelings than she was letting on. Then again, she knew more about everything than she let on, and though Ahsoka didn't see it or turned a blind eye to it, Vader didn't.

"What are you trying to say princess?" he asked.

Leia shrugged. "All I know is that I don't feel complete hate from both of you and you say you tolerate each other, but it's not that either. There's something else. I just don't know what it is."

Vader paled. He himself had been denying what was there for months now, maybe even years, but here his little girl was sensing something and if she could feel it then perhaps it was something he had to stop ignoring it and admit something was there.

"You think you feel friendship then?" Vader asked. "I assure you, we aren't friends."

"It's not that. Me and Lana are friends. But what I feel from you two is different. It's like being friends but different…" Leia said trailing off and just like that she was done with the situation and looked at her father. "Can we go get ice cream?"

Vader looked at Leia peculiarly before slowly nodding his head. She turned around and began to skip back home so they could take the speeder into town. She was in a notably better mood than earlier, but Vader couldn't shake the feeling that his daughter was up to something.

He was shaken out his thoughts when she said, "I'll drive daddy!"

He reached out with the force to stay her in place, ignoring her protest as he walked ahead of her and then released his hold.

"I haven't forgotten about the fact that you stole one of my speeders and managed to destroy it," Vader reminded and Leia's face fell.

"But daddy! It wasn't my fault," Leia defended.

"I'm taking your keys," Vader said referring to the keys to Leia's speeder bike.

"No fair!"

xxxxxxxxxxx

Ahsoka sat in the tree in the backyard after having tried in vain to meditate her troubles away. She hated how she was feeling. She hadn't felt like this in nine years. It was feelings like these that made her try to stop Anakin on Mustafar, that made her defend him before the Jedi even when she knew he was guilty, and what made her steal his daughter away and run to find him, even when she knew it was likely he would kill her.

But this was preposterous. Darth Vader was _not _Anakin Skywalker or were they just the same person but one was a very dark and evil version of the other? She sighed as she tossed the idea in her head. It was impossible. Sith had no good in them, but then why did Vader care for his daughter, the child that was conceived when he was Anakin Skywalker, so much? She remembered fighting in the clone wars where her job was just to kill the enemy, but then one day on these mission, she saw that these people who the republic said were evil had families to go home to, people they themselves were protecting.

And then she went with Padmé to visit one of her separatists friends and found out that they weren't just the ruthless enemies that thought the republic was corrupted (looking back on it, they had been right). They too felt the sting of war and the pain of loss. So was it possible that it was the same with the Jedi and the Sith?

If Ahsoka thought about it the way the Jedi taught her, then no, they weren't. Sith were selfish beings who turned their back on each other and only cared for themselves. But Vader wasn't like that. He was a sith because he wanted to help make the galaxy a better place and thought dictatorship and forcing a way on people was the way to go, but that also fell into the natural sith lust for power. Enough was never enough.

However, when he was with Leia, there was no empire to run and no power to make sure he kept. He was just Leia's father.

Ahsoka sighed. Vader wasn't the conventional Sith and Anakin hadn't been the conventional Jedi. In that respect, the two were exactly the same. She sighed. This was so confusing.

"Ahsoka," the object of her musings said and she fell out the tree in surprise. Her jedi reflexes kicked in though and she landed on her feet, albeit shakily.

Vader steadied her by putting his hands on her waist. She pulled away and turned to face him.

"What?" she asked.

"I told Leia about her force ability," Vader said blunt and straight forward as always.

"It took you long enough," Ahsoka said.

Vader glared at her but otherwise ignored her. "I sense she is now curious about it even more now and so I want you to watch her closely when I leave. She may try to experiment or she may just come right out and ask you to teach her. You are not to show her anything."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "I know that already."

"She's also very curious about Luke. She said the force told her of his existence. She asked me why he's not here with her, but I don't even have the answer to that," Vader said looking at Ahsoka expectantly.

"I told you before. I didn't have time to get him. It was either try to grab him and risk not getting either one or taking Leia and running. I had no choice," she mumbled.

"That's not what I mean. I want to know why you brought Leia to me in the first place," Vader asked.

Ahsoka shrugged. Explaining that to Vader was crossing dangerous territory and she had a feeling he knew that.

"It's what Padmé would have wanted," Ahsoka admitted.

"Even after she rejected me," Vader said bluntly.

"She never rejected you," Ahsoka said through gritted teeth annoyed at Vader. "She rejected everything you had done. But I don't think she would have purposely kept the twins away from you. If there was one thing she knew, it was that you would always protect her. She knew that even after you hurt her. She asked about you all through her labor, thought there was good in you."

"And so you did it because of your closeness to her?" Vader asked and Ahsoka merely nodded. "The other jedi didn't seem to think that way."

Ahsoka sighed as she started to walk back toward the house. "They didn't understand. Hell, I didn't really understand even though I like to think I did. I just knew how I felt," she said starting to walk toward the house.

"How did you feel?"

Ahsoka turned to look at him with a sharp look and said, "It doesn't matter anymore. It was a long time ago."

"I doubt it," Vader said simply.

"And when did you come to that conclusion?"

"Because Leia wouldn't sense it if it was something from a long time ago," Vader said walking towards her.

Ahsoka turned fully to look at Vader stunned. Leia was an incredibly intuitive girl and knew more than she ever let on to Ahsoka. Ahsoka humored her though. She acted like she didn't notice when Leia tried to play innocent, but the bad part about doing that was that Vader could use that against Ahsoka to his advantage.

It was likely Leia hadn't really said anything at all and had been very coy and elusive about whatever it was as always. But still…

"What did she sense?" Ahsoka said.

"She couldn't put her finger on it," Vader said honestly as he traced the markings on Ahsoka's orange-red skin.

"Then why are you so concerned?" Ahsoka whispered not caring how close she and Vader were again.

"Just curious," he said and closed the distance between their lips.

Ahsoka didn't stand frozen in shock at what he had done. In all honesty, she had been expecting it and so she kissed him as he kissed her. It was only after Vader put his hand on the small of her back that she really realized what she was doing and stopped herself.

She pulled away and on instinct she bared her predator teeth in a snarl at Vader before turning on her heel and yelling, "What in sith hell are you trying to pull?"

Vader followed her into the house retorting, "If I'm going to be accused of something, I'd at least like to know what it is!"

"This!" Ahsoka said whirling on him when she stepped into the living room. "One moment you hate me because I'm a Jedi, the next moment you're treating me like a drill sergeant, and then you're sitting there leading me on kissing me. Force damn it. What do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Vader asked.

Ahsoka put her hand on the screen door, fully intent on locking him out the house for the rest of the night but Vader held it firm. She cursed that he was stronger than her.

"No it's not. You're excellent at giving mixed cues. You drive me insane Vader. I never know what you want!" Ahsoka snapped exaggeratedly.

Vader sighed. "I don't know either to be honest."

If anything, his response set Ahsoka off more. "I am not going to be your play thing Darth Vader," she said and Vader couldn't recall a time she had used his full Sith name. "I'm not going to be your secret whore that you only barely tolerate during the day and dog when you don't want to be bothered."

Ahsoka tried to close the door again but Vader held it again.

"Is that what you think?"

"What else am I supposed to think?" Ahsoka snapped trying in vain to close the door again. "You're a Sith. Sith aren't supposed to feel anything but evil emotions. You're not supposed to know anything about love. Leia's supposed to be your only exception and even then you'll never admit to it."

"Jedi weren't supposed to love either. In fact, Jedi and Sith have the same view on love. It's a weakness," Vader explained.

Ahsoka cursed. He had a point, but that didn't mean she was giving in.

"And you don't think the same?"

"I was never a conventional force user," Vader admitted growing tired of Ahsoka trying to close the door on him and pushing her back so he could come inside.

Ahsoka grudgingly admitted he was right about that too.

"That still doesn't answer my question. Whatever," Ahsoka said sighing. "It doesn't matter. I'm-." she was cut off as Vader kissed her again, but this time a little more forceful than before and she very nearly, very, very nearly, lost all conscious thought and succumbed to his advances on her.

The small part of her frozen mind that was working took over, and she managed to pull away from him, but Vader's arms were still locked around her waist. The only thing keeping them apart was her hands on his chest… his very defined chest. Ahsoka shook her head and focused.

"Be rational," Ahsoka said to him and then noticed Vader's raised eyebrow. That's when she remembered he wasn't rational. This proved it. She sighed and instead said, "Well at least think about it. I'm a Jedi and you're a Sith and no matter how you try to justify it, we're enemies. The only thing uniting us is Leia and Padmé. Nothing more and nothing less."

Vader loosened his grip on her but didn't completely let her go. However, Ahsoka felt better now that she didn't have to push against his chest to keep him back.

"You used to love me, didn't you?" Vader asked. "That's why you disobeyed the jedi and brought Leia to me."

Ahsoka sighed. Vader certainly wasn't stupid, and she wondered how long he had been tossing around this idea in his head, certainly longer than just that evening.

Finally she admitted, "If it clears your conscience, then at one point, I did love you. But that was a long time ago when you were a different man, a Jedi Knight. Any lingering feelings I had for you are long gone now. The only reason I stay here is for Leia and if she weren't happy, I'd take her and run without hesitation."

Vader paused to look at her for a moment and then let her go. Ahsoka smoothed out her clothes and stormed out the room and up the stairs. A few seconds later, Vader heard the door to her room close. He himself didn't know what had come over him and decided that he too would retire to his bed early. This adjustment was getting more complicated than he had ever anticipated.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** I told you that you were going to like this chapter. So what did you think? This is nowhere near the end of the story though. I've got twelve more to go so sit tight and be patient because the rollercoaster ride is just getting started. I had a ball with these next few chapters (grins mischievously).

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** I know all of you were wondering what happened next and of course, everyone already knows tensions are high. So in this we find out what Leia thinks (more about that later) and well… Read it.

Also I would like to thank everyone for the reviews and pms I get for this story. It really flatters me when people inbox me their ideas for stories that they'd like me to write for them. I saw one that I found intriguing that would feature a character I don't know if I'm comfortable writing, but I liked the idea. However it would take me back into my other Dark Ahsoka universe, and I'm trying to leave that universe alone right now (I've made a note of it in my notebook though). But I love you ideas and feedback from in-depth critiques about what you liked and things I can improve on to simply telling me 'good job' and I just wanted to thank you for it. Know that it is all appreciated.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Eight**

The tension was obvious when Leia stepped into the kitchen the next morning and she knew almost immediately that something wasn't right. Ahsoka was silently packing her lunch while Threepio made her breakfast and her father sat at the table looking over reports that were no doubt for the empire. On the surface, a person could just say that they were into what they were doing, but Leia knew that they were purposely ignoring each other and having a hard time doing so.

Leia took a seat next to her father and looked between her guardians for a moment before becoming fed up and saying, "Did you all have a fight or something? Because the air is so heavy I can barely breathe."

Vader and Ahsoka looked up at Leia, briefly glanced at each other, and then went back to their tasks. Leia concluded that it had been something more than a fight because usually they both would have made a smart comment toward each other (Ahsoka would have done that), then someone would get angry (usually Vader), and they would fight again. If there hadn't been a fight, then what had happened?

"Come on princess. I'll take you to school," Vader said to her as he stood up and abruptly left the kitchen when Leia was done with her breakfast.

Leia groaned. She had hoped he forgot about taking her already limited driving privileges. She grabbed her lunch off the counter and kissed Ahsoka good-bye before following him albeit a little upset that she couldn't take herself.

Vader was already waiting in the speeder and barely gave Leia the chance to get in before he took off. Leia groaned in frustration, but not at her dad's refusal to let up on her punishment. He had sped off a little too fast for her liking which only confirmed that something had happened between her father and Ahsoka, and now they were avoiding each other.

"Daddy," Leia said her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Yes princess," he said to her.

"Why are you and Ahsoka trying to avoid each other?" she asked. She came to the conclusion that just saying things outright came across as more innocent so that her guardians wouldn't think she was up to something.

Vader wasn't surprised. More and more lately he had the feeling that Leia was playing her hand in the affairs of adults. But she was only speeding up the process of things that were already there in the first place if Vader thought about it (not that he would admit it aloud), if that's what she was doing at all.

"What makes you think that?"

"You were acting different this morning," Leia said trying to say what she wanted without making it too obvious. "You wouldn't look at each other, so I'm guessing you were ignoring each other. You weren't having your usual silly arguments that you usually have in the morning and Threepio gave you coffee this morning. You don't drink coffee unless you're stressed or something's on your mind."

Vader had no idea Leia noticed so much and might have been impressed otherwise, but he was done playing games with and humoring Leia now.

"What are you up to Leia?" he asked bluntly.

Leia froze. Uh-oh… "What are you talking about?"

"You're up to something and it has to do with me and Ahsoka. In fact, you've been manipulating whatever it is for years," Vader said.

Leia bit her lip. She should have known her dad knew she was up to something. But why hadn't he said anything about it before then?

"My master is the most manipulative, conniving, man in the universe Leia. Of course I'd be able to see when you were up to something, but I must say you would fool any lesser man," Vader said to her with a smirk.

Leia sank down in her seat. If she revealed her plan now, it would ruin everything and her dad and Ahsoka would never get together. The speeder stopped and Leia had never been so happy to see her school as she had been that day.

"So are you going to tell me?" Vader asked.

"I would. But it's a long story and I don't want to be late for class so maybe at another time," Leia said climbing out the speeder and remembering to grab her book bag. "Love you daddy. See you later."

With that, Leia ran into school before Vader could possibly run after her and catch her.

"Conniving, manipulative, little girl," Vader muttered staring after where Leia had run. "Great characteristics of a future Sith Lady though…"

Leia meanwhile sat in her usual spot in class and her friends, noticing how panicked she seemed looked at her in concern.

"What's your problem?"

"My dad," Leia admitted.

"You didn't get in trouble for that stunt yesterday, did you?" Lana asked.

"Your dad's going to kill us isn't he?" Abdul asked in fear and Leia rolled her eyes.

"I'm not talking about that although he did take my keys. I'm talking about my plan," Leia muttered.

Lana and Abdul paused and Leia waited for them to catch up.

"Oh that plan," Lana said as it dawned on her. "What's wrong?"

"They were acting different this morning and when I asked my dad about it, he flipped it on me and asked what I was up to. Lucky we got to school and I ran in here," Leia said tapping her fingers.

"They were acting different?" Abdul asked. "How?"

"I thought they had argued again at first, but when I said something, they would hardly look at each other. Usually they would have started saying mean things to each other. Then my dad seemed in such a rush to get away like they were avoiding each other. I know something happened. I just don't know what?" Leia said leaning on her arm.

Lana looked at Leia curiously and then said, "I think your plan is starting to work."

"Huh?" Leia and Abdul said to her.

"Well, my mom was watching these crazy space operas on the holo-vision-I don't know what she likes about them-but whenever there's a scene where the two people are avoiding each other or acting different, it means they kissed or something and now they're uncomfortable with it," Lana said simply.

Abdul rolled his eyes and started to tell her she was being ridiculous, but Leia sat up and said, "You think so?"

"It's either that or they talked about getting together or something and one of them is uncertain. I think your dad and Ahsoka are embarrassed or don't want to talk about it, so they're ignoring each other," Lana said. "Or at least, that's how my mom explained it to me before she sent me out the room."

"That's great!" Leia said excitedly.

"But you don't know that," Abdul said to the two excited girls. Honestly, they were basing real life off a holo-vision drama!

"True, but that's why it's my job to find out," Leia said happily and then they heard Stanton's name being called over the com. The boy got up and headed to the principal's office.

"I wonder what he's in trouble for," Abdul asked and his two female friends shrugged.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ahsoka knew it was cowardly, but she'd rather face an entire separatist army along side of her former master and Master Obi-wan with the odds against them than face Vader after yesterday. So she had gone over to see Lana's mother. She was essentially an assassin that worked for Vader, but one wouldn't know it with the way she mothered Lana. Ahsoka guessed it was just like no one would know she had been a Jedi.

"So nice to have you over dear," the dark skinned woman with her hair in a puffed ponytail said putting some tea down in front of her. "I see Leia doesn't have you all tied up as usual."

"Not today Tamara," Ahsoka said picking up her tea. "But maybe that's because her father's home and so he's dealing with her."

Tamara smiled. "You know you wouldn't trade it for the galaxy," she said softly putting sugar and cream in her own tea.

Ahsoka smiled and sighed as she took a sip of her tea. She needed to get away.

"What's wrong Ahsoka?" Tamara asked.

"Nothing Tamara. Just tired," Ahsoka said wearily.

"I don't think that's all," Tamara said raising her eyebrows. "It had something to do with you-know-who, correct?"

Ahsoka looked at Tamara over her cup and frowned. "Is it really that obvious?"

"I would never assume such a thing if it weren't for Leia. She's very vocal about you two when she's talking with Lana. Lana will ask how you two are doing and then Leia will sigh and say 'they're arguing again,' or 'they aren't talking to each other right now,' although I must say she used to say it all the time every time her father was home. I don't hear it from her that often anymore. I take it your relationship has improved."

"Only slightly," Ahsoka grumbled. This was the last thing she wanted to talk about.

Tamara laughed. "To be quite honest, I don't understand why you and Lord Vader don't get along. Every time he takes off again, he tells me to make sure you and Leia are taken care of. And any other person he would have gotten rid of a long time ago the way you must irk him."

"You think so," Ahsoka said sighing. "He has an incredibly odd way of showing it."

Tamara gave him a pointed look. "He's Lord Vader Ahsoka, a military man. What do you expect?"

"Let's just say I used to know him before all this, but now that I think about it, he's always had the same difficultly expressing his feelings. He was just a much lighter person," Ahsoka muttered.

"So you were friends before? No wonder he's so tolerant of you," Tamara said offhandedly.

"He's grown accustomed to being tolerant of me. He used to be my teacher," Ahsoka said absently.

"Your teacher?" Tamara asked confused. "How old are you dear?"

"Twenty-six standard years."

Tamara looked at her in surprise. "Wow… You're so young. I always knew you looked young, very young. You looked younger than twenty-six actually, but I was under the impression that you were much older than that."

Ahsoka wasn't surprised. Typically her species aged slower than humans after puberty. In fact, in standard years she was twenty-six, but if she went by torgruta standards, she was maybe twenty.

Tamara continued. "And Leia's nine so… Whatever happened to her mother?"

"Died when Leia was born. I was her friend and took Leia under my care," Ahsoka said simply.

"All that on you when you were so young…" Tamara said. "I don't know what I would have done if that had happened to me at that age. I was busy training and working as a spy for the republic. I didn't even meet Lana's father until I was thirty and at that time Lana was just a baby."

"Now you're making me feel old," Ahsoka said sighing.

"But you're not. You need to get out a little. I know. You can leave Leia here and go out to town and have some fun. You work too hard for a woman your age."

If only Tamara knew the entire story. But she was right about the young thing. Jedi and force users in general could live to hundreds of years if given the chance to. She had a good two hundred years left if she wasn't killed before then. It would be a long time to spend alone and no doubt taking care of the Skywalker generations for the rest of her life. She couldn't picture a future where she wasn't involved with them.

The doorbell rang and Tamara went to open it. Ahsoka nearly dropped her cup when she heard who it was.

"Lord Vader," Tamara said.

"Hello Tamara," Vader said as Tamara let him in the house.

Ahsoka wished she could disappear right then and there. She should have known he was going to come looking for her. Vader was like that. When he wanted something, he never waited for it to come to him. He went after it.

"I apologize for disturbing you," Vader began and Ahsoka rolled her eyes. He never apologized for anything. "But I need Ahsoka's assistance with a task."

"Oh," Tamara said turning to Ahsoka."I guess your visit is cut short."

"I guess it is," Ahsoka said trying not to scowl. "Thanks for the tea Tamara. See you later."

Ahsoka got up and walked past Vader to the outside. Vader nodded to Tamara who looked between the two confused before closing the door.

"If you wanted to talk, all you had to do was say so," she said walking ahead of him to their home across the street.

"I wasn't lying. I do need your assistance…" Vader said almost awkwardly.

"With what?" Ahsoka asked not bothering to use the security access code to the door, opting to use the force instead.

"No need to be so snippy," Vader commented as he went up the stairs to his room.

Ahsoka groaned and followed him. She stopped in the doorway of his room, the only room in the house she had never been in. No one had, not even Leia. Initially it had been the only room in the house where he could remove his mask and breathe so of course she hadn't gone in, even when he was gone. After the surgery, it was still somewhat of an unspoken rule even though she might have been curious about it… very curious. But there was nothing to be curious about. The room was pretty plain, only the bare essentials and Ahsoka guessed that the lack of want for material things had crossed over even when he turned.

However, after last night, Vader's room was hardly the place she wanted to be. In fact, it was the last place she wanted to be.

"Are you going to just stand there in the doorway all day or are you going to come in and help me," Vader asked.

"With what?" Ahsoka asked started to come in when she realized Vader was taking off his tops. "What are you doing?" she asked and then forgot the question completely when she saw that his back was red and raw, with what look like fresh burns.

"What happened?" Ahsoka asked no longer intimidated at the thought of being in his room as she crossed the distance between them and inspected his back. Now she was furious. There was no telling how long Vader had gone around with his back like this.

"This is what I need your help with," he said simply

"How long has it been like this?" Ahsoka asked using the force to summon a first aid kit from the hall closet and to her side and she sat Vader on the bed.

Vader shrugged. "Three days I suppose."

"And you were in such a rush to come see Leia that you couldn't get a medic to look at it?" Ahsoka said in frustration as she began to curse in her native language.

Vader didn't say anything as he simply waited for Ahsoka to figure out why he hadn't gone to see a medic. She stopped her muttering at Vader's agitated silence and said, "Oh yeah."

"But still," she continued. "You couldn't have told me about this yesterday?"

"I was going to after Leia went to bed, but…" Vader trailed off and Ahsoka got his meaning.

"If you had told me I would have done it, despite everything," Ahsoka muttered rubbing the bacta cream on his back. "How did this happen?"

"Mission gone wrong," he muttered. "A group of rebels thought it would be a good idea to attack me using torches."

"Why would they-?" Ahsoka cut herself off again. Vader was terrified of fire, even if he would never admit it. That day on Mustafar had scarred him more than with just the burns that were still on his chest and back from that day.

"They tried to torch the facility but we were able to get everyone out and anything that was important before the blaze became too much to control. This happened when one of the rebels turned out to be a force user and I underestimated his abilities," Vader said.

Translation, Ahsoka though to herself, Vader had been gripped with fear at the sight of the blazing torches and done something stupid that resulted in someone managing to burn his back. And no doubt the suit slowed him down when he was in it so it was probably awkward to have to defend himself in addition to all of that.

Ahsoka didn't say anything else as she bandaged his back up and then closed the kit before putting it back with the force.

"You should rest so that can heal," Ahsoka said heading out the room trying to pretend she didn't notice how much more built Vader had become since his surgery three years ago.

"I'm not doing anything until you stop avoiding me," Vader said with his arms crossed.

Ahsoka put her hand on her hips as she looked at him. "You're one to talk," she said.

"Does it look like I'm going anywhere?" Vader asked pointedly.

"Get some rest you," Ahsoka said turning out the light deciding it wasn't worth it to argue with him right now.

"Stay with me," Vader commanded more so than asked. Either way, it was a bold request.

Ahsoka turned back around to see if he was joking or not. But Vader _never _joked. "Wha-What?" she stuttered in shock.

"Stay with me," he said again and when it looked like she was just going to continue staring at him, he sighed impatiently and summoned her to him with the force. Normally Ahsoka would have been able to resist it but she was so stunned by his request, she lacked the concentration to do so. She fell awkwardly on top of him and Vader chuckled at her obvious discomfort, succeeding in stunning her again. It had been a while since she heard him chuckle.

"Skyguy," Ahsoka said rolling off his chest and trying in vain to pull out of his grip.

"Am I really asking too much?" Vader asked amused as she struggled to break free of his grip.

"Yes you are especially after that stunt you pulled last night. I don't know what's gotten into you but you're-."

"Relax. Just stay with me. I'm not trying to pull another stunt as you say," Vader said obviously amused by her embarrassment at the whole situation.

Ahsoka sighed and ceased her struggles.

"And you one to talk about someone needing rest," Vader said to her closing his eyes and completely relaxing for the first time in months. "You didn't sleep well last night either."

Ahsoka started to ask if he could truly blame her. It was his fault. But she held her tongue Vader was showing her a side that he only shared with Leia and even then it was just barely. Something had changed.

"Who are you and what have you done with Darth Vader?" she asked though she did relax.

"I don't feel like being Darth Vader right now," he said half sleep. "No titles right now Snips."

Ahsoka turned around to look at him in surprise but to her disappointment he was already asleep and no doubt, he would deny what he said when he awoke.

She sighed. There was no way to get out of this one.

"Alright," she said closing her eyes. "You win this time Skyguy."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** Wasn't that so sweet? I love writing this back and forth stuff. The conflict is far from over though. Vader and Ahsoka are too stubborn for it to end that simply. And I loved writing Leia and her conversations with her friends. Getting their references from something of a soap opera seemed realistic to me because now that I think about it, my ideas of romance came from television at that age and when the girls started talking about it, the boys would roll their eyes and be like really. At that age it seems boys do have a more realistic idea of love now that I think about it. Anyway, more to come.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	9. Chapter 9

**AN:** Thanks for the reviews. I especially enjoyed Black Rose's who made the comment that the reactions sounded a bit "Young and the Restless." I didn't catch the joke of it until the next day. Yeah. You're right. I kind of intentionally wrote it that way because it because Leia and Lana's theory on the holonet drama thing that Abdul finds utterly ridiculous. But for the record, that show gives me a headeache… Too much drama from too many people in a short span of time.

Anyway, I tweaked this chapter a lot because I wrote it and then changed something in the next chapter and had to go back and change some of this. I hope I got them all out…

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter Nine

Leia had been distracted all day and during her favorite class too, politics. But something was wrong and that's what was keeping her from concentrating. Something was about to happen. She looked to her left and right trying to get Abdul and Lana's attention. When the teacher turned her back she tossed two notes to her friends telling them to play sick.

They looked at her in confusion and Leia knocked them both in the stomach causing both of them to put their hands to their stomachs just as the teacher turned around.

"Is something wrong you three?" she asked.

"Stomach hurts," Leia groaned. "Abdul's mother sure is nice but she can't cook to save her life."

"My mom cooks-." Leia glared at Abdul. "Really badly. I think we need to see the nurse."

"Yeah," Lana said standing up with Leia and Abdul. "Oh I feel like I'm going to throw up."

"Are you sure you don't need any help? I can send one of the girls with you," their teacher said concerned.

"No," Leia said a little too quickly. "I mean that's okay. We've got it. An aspirin or something should help."

With that, all three rushed out the room and then ran down the hall around the corner.

"What was that for?" Abdul asked. "You're going to get us in trouble skipping classes like that."

"Not here," Leia said looking around and then peeked in the girl's bathroom. "It's empty. Let's go."

"No way," Abdul said.

Lana rolled her eyes and pushed Abdul inside. "Come on you."

"What's going on?" Abdul demanded

"Something's not right?" Leia said to them and on cue they heard shouts and the cocking of blasters out in the halls. "Quick. In the stalls. Stand on the seats."

Lana and Abdul didn't question their friend. She was usually right when it came to things like this, and they knew it was just best to trust her and ask questions later.

They heard stampeding down the hallways and Lana turned to Leia's direction asking, "What's happening?"

"Be quiet!" Leia snapped as she heard voices telling everyone to get in the hallways.

Someone peeked their head in the girl's bathroom and not seeing anyone went out. When Leia was sure they weren't coming back, she stepped down and called Lana and Abdul into her stall.

"What's going on?" Abdul asked her since Leia seemed to know everything up until then.

"I think our school was just attacked," Leia said trying to keep the fear out her voice and failing miserably.

She felt Lana and Abdul's anxiety spike. When Leia was nervous and scared, it wasn't a good thing.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Vader opened his eyes abruptly with the distinct knowledge that something was wrong. He started to move when he noticed who was lying next to him content as ever with his arm draped around her. He didn't quite know what to make of what he felt for Ahsoka. It was almost similar to how he felt for Padmé, but it was different. He had vowed never to care about another how he did for Padmé but perhaps he wasn't breaking that vow. He felt differently for Ahsoka. Padmé would have made him say exactly what he was feeling, he mused. She would have never accepted this seemingly unfeeling person he had become.

But Ahsoka knew the force and she could see past his mostly contradicting exterior. She would be frustrated and sigh in exasperation occasionally, but she would tolerate him, at least for a while before she lost all patience with him and came after him with her lightsaber in her anger. He'd never tell her, but she could be downright scary when she was mad. He could avoid admitting anything while he tried to sort out these very un-Sith like emotions.

The force probed him again and he was brought back to the reason he had awaken to begin with. Cursing under his breath, Vader got up and pulled on his tunics, his ruffling waking up Ahsoka.

She sighed. "What are you doing now?" she asked tiredly.

"Don't you sense it," Vader asked angrily. "How can you take care of Leia and not be able to sense when she's in trouble?"

"Excuse me if I'm not as finely attuned to the force as you are," Ahsoka snapped. He was back to normal again.

"Do you sense it now?" Vader asked crossing his arms glaring down at her.

"Yeah," Ahsoka said getting out of bed. "Leia's in trouble."

"You finally catch up. Take your light saber," Vader said pulling on his boots not waiting for Ahsoka as he went out the room and down the stairs.

Ahsoka ran to her room to find her lightsaber that she had forgotten where she placed it. It had been about five years since she had touched it. Then, she raced after Vader, barely getting in the speeder before he pulled off and rushed to Leia's school. Normally, she would have scolded him about his driving, but then wasn't the time.

"What's going on?" Vader asked not wasting any time getting out the speeder and taking charge of the situation when he saw the local law enforcement had formed a perimeter outside the building.

"Hostage situation," the officer said simply. Apparently Vader wasn't the only parent who had asked them.

"Hostage?" Vader asked. "Would you care to elaborate?"

"Classified sir," the officer said.

"Listen you," Vader said started to raise his hand, but Ahsoka put it down.

"Stop it Ani. Losing your temper isn't going to help," she said. "Don't you have some sort of imperial identification?"

Vader hadn't thought of that. He took out a small data-chip and Ahsoka put it in her datapad flashing the clearance to the local law enforcement. He nodded his head and elaborated.

"We believe they're disgruntled youth who have taken over the school. They went in armed with blasters and explosives sir," the local authority said.

"You mean to tell me ten-year-olds high jacked a school?" Vader as his eye twitching a little.

"This is actually two schools in one. That's why it's so big. It's an elementary and high school," Ahsoka said to him. "I'm guessing we're dealing with some teenagers?"

The local enforcement nodded.

"Teenagers?" Vader said knowing exactly how he would handle this.

Ahsoka sensing his intention grabbed his arm. "You can't go in there like that without a plan. They're heavily armed. Didn't you hear that part?"

"I'm glad you're so concerned," Vader said, his tone dripping with dry sarcasm. "But I can handle this."

"It's not you I'm concerned about bighead," Ahsoka snapped tired of Vader's ego. "You can't just go in there because Leia's in there, along with a whole bunch of other children who could get hurt if you barge in there without a plan."

Vader paused. To tell the truth, he couldn't care less about the other children in the building, but Leia was still in there… Ahsoka was right.

"Do you have a better idea?" he asked impatiently.

"Always," Ahsoka said with a smirk.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

"What are we doing?" Abdul asked his troublemaking friend. Over the years he seriously questioned why he was still friends with the girl. She was a trouble magnet, her dad was the scariest person he'd ever met, and she had a strange power like she was psychic or something that gave her quick reflexes and the ability to know when things were going to happen. It was a hopeless cause to play hide and seek with her because when she was it, she always won. He guessed he was still her friend because everything that made her dangerous also made her the most fun to play with.

"I want to see what's going on," Leia said as they crawled through the vents.

"That's crazy," Abdul said. "We should be trying to get out of here, not trying to see what's going on."

"Abdul's right," Lana said surprising the other two. She usually just went with whatever Leia said after figuring out it was pointless to argue with her. "We should get out of here. We could have snuck out the window in the bathroom."

"Well then you two can go back. Besides," Leia said with a certain undertone, "my dad and Ahsoka will be here soon. We'll be fine."

"I wish I had your confidence," Abdul said dryly as Leia crawled forward but stopped Lana and Abdul from doing so.

She turned around and pointed downward into the ventilation cover she had just crawled over.

"Wow," Lana said looking at the array of weapons and artillery that the hijackers had.

"Wait a minute," Abdul said. "Didn't they go to the high school part and get suspended a few weeks ago for something?"

Leia looked closer and found that he was right. "That's not good."

"And look," Lana whispered panicky. "They have detonators."

"Where?" Abdul and Leia asked following where her finger was pointing.

Abdul gasped. But Leia rolled her eyes.

"They're fake," she said knowingly.

"How do you know?" Abdul asked.

"I just do and even if I didn't, Ahsoka showed me the difference between a real and a fake detonator. The wirings all wrong," Leia added as an afterthought.

Abdul and Lana looked at her in disbelief.

"And how does she know what a fake one looks like?"

Leia didn't answer. No one was supposed to know Ahsoka was secretly a Jedi. While her father didn't like her much (Leia wasn't even certain of that anymore, especially after that morning), he would never kill her. But if word got out to the rest of the empire that Ahsoka was a Jedi, she'd be in trouble. That much, Leia knew.

"My dad's here," she said instead. "Come, we have to get out of-."

She moved away from the vent cover and Abdul and Lana wisely did the same just as three blaster shots came through the cover, making it fall off. Lana screamed, Abdul jumped, and even Leia let out a loud surprised squeak, effectively blowing their cover.

"Run," she said.

"How? We can't stand?" Abdul asked.

"You know what she meant you dummy," Lana said turning around and then stopping. "What about you?"

But Leia was already on her way in the opposite direction as she said, "Just go. Find a way out. Get my dad!"

Leia wished she could stand in the vents. Crawling was hurting her knees and the metal of the vents were cold. She hurried to find another opening in the vents and when she found one leading to a room that no one appeared to be in. She opened it and swung her legs over the side of the opening. That's when she noticed how high she was.

But she convinced herself she had to do it. Once she got down, she could go right out the window and get her dad. She got over her fears, took a deep breath and pushed herself off the edge. She would have been fine, if she had just let herself land on her hands and knees, but having had enough of being in that position, she tried to land on her feet and hurt her ankle in the process.

"Ow!" she said loudly as she leaned on the desk and then realized she had probably attracted the attentions of whoever had attack the small school. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard footsteps.

"That's not good," she said slowly making her way toward the window. It was locked. Quickly she pulled a hairpin out her hair, forever grateful that Ahsoka made her wear it pinned up that day, and started trying to unlock it. Locking the windows of a school during the day… What if there had been a fire or something? What if a girl needed to get out when there was a hostage situation like there was then?

"I knew I heard someone," someone said opening the door. Leia only glanced back briefly hoping the lock would hurry up and open. Just as it clicked though, Leia jumped at the brief shock as she fell and knew no more.

However, the blackout was brief and she was awake just as a human girl with pitch black hair lifted her up by the arm.

"Ow!" she said as they tried to make her stand up. "Watch it! My ankle is hurt."

"Not really concerned little girl," she said starting to make her walk out the room.

"Walk faster," she said when Leia got into the hall.

"I'm trying. I told you my ankle," the girl held up her blaster pointedly and Leia rolled her eyes.

"Go ahead and try to hurt me," Leia said trying and failing to keep the fear that had crept up out of her voice. "If you do, my dad's going to kill you and all your friends."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Whatever. But you shouldn't try to stop us. You'll be one of the safe ones."

"What do you mean one of the safe ones?" Leia asked confused. She knew she had seen the girl around school before, but there was something else about her. She gasped.

"I know you. You're part of that anti-alien gang. Didn't you and some red headed girl get suspended expelled a few weeks ago for bullying?" Leia asked.

"Just figuring it out kid?" the older girl asked starting to lead her into a classroom with her other peers.

Leia shrugged. "I'm surprised you don't remember me," she said. It was odd her father had just mentioned that fight she had a few weeks ago the day before.

The older girl looked at Leia and then a cold look came over her face.

"On second thought, maybe you won't be one of the safe ones," she decided. "Thanks for getting me suspended by the way."

Leia sighed. She really had to learn to keep her mouth closed sometimes. If she had just been quiet, they would have left her alone. Instead the girl dragged her into a hallway and shoved her in front of her.

"I found the girl who got us ousted," she said to a girl with fiery red head andbrown eyes.

Leia glared at the girl as the shoved her making her ankle hurt more. She crossed her arms and glared the rest of her gang who were setting up the detonators… fake detonators. Leia wondered if they knew.

The group of human teenagers, all female, ranging from thirteen all the way to nineteen, looked at her.

"That's the little brat alright," one of the girls said. "What should we do with her?"

"She stays here with the rest of the alien scum we're about to blow," the red head said.

Leia tilted her head in confusion trying to figure out whether to laugh or be thankful. She ended up laughing.

"What's so funny girl?"

"The detonators are fake," Leia said deciding it wouldn't be best to push them.

"Whatever kid."

"I'm not lying," Leia said going over to one of the detonators and pressing the button to set it off before the others could stop her. But it only sparked a little before frizzing out, completely harmless. "See? Where did you get these things? People build these things and sell them to rookie pirates, criminals, and bounty hunters all the time. They're homemade which is why you can see the wiring but there are some good detonators that show the wiring…"

"How'd you know that?" one of the girls asked curiously.

Leia frowned at the memory. That had been a misadventure her father had made her suffer for… But the fun of it had been worth the month of punishment.

"Show us," the red head who Leia guessed was the leader said with her arms crossed.

Leia picked up the detonator. If this would buy her some time until her dad and Ahsoka could get to her, she'd do so.

"See, the wirings all wrong," Leia said showing it to them as she proceeded to explain the workings of a thermal detonator as best she could remember from what Ahsoka had showed her.

"Hm," Leia heard one of the whisperings of the girls. "She could be useful to us."

"For what?" another asked. "I hear she's a military brat. Her dad's always off planet so no way she'll want to join some feminist gang. And her caretaker's a torgruta so she's definitely not anti-alien."

"Whatever," the leader said, irritation apparent in her posture. "Gather every non-human person you can find and put them in the hall. Make sure all the other girls stay manning their post guarding all exits and classrooms. Looks like we're going to have to do this with a blaster if we want to make our point. I'll watch the girl."

The leader snatched the detonator out her hand and gave the other girls their task before she made Leia sit on the floor against the wall with her hands where she could see them. Leia groaned. All she needed was for the girl to turn around for two seconds to grab one of the blasters they had lying around in the hall.

"Revenge is sweet hm?" the read head asked.

"I'm warning you," Leia said seriously. "My dad has a real anger problem. If he finds out what that you put me in danger or tried to hurt me, he'll kill you or worse."

Leia wasn't quite sure what was worse than dying but she was sure her dad had figured it out as her father had once told someone that death would be pleasing compared to what he was planning for them.

"Your dad's not going to get in here," the girl assured.

"Believe me. He will," Leia said certainly knowing that this was going to get ugly very soon and no amount of Ahsoka trying to convince her father otherwise was going to work. They would probably be arguing for days or her dad would leave early just to get away. She forgot the graveness of her situation as she rolled her eyes at Ahsoka and her dad's ridiculous behavior toward each other. And they said she was the child.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** So even though she's in big trouble, Leia finds it in her to ponder her father and Ahsoka's relationship. LOL. Her parts were entertaining for me to write. My sister says they come across as kind of humorous even though I don't intend it that way.

Anyway, more to come.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	10. Chapter 10

**AN:** I know you all already know Vader's not at all happy. But you're going to love this. Yes he's not going to let this sit and there's more banter and interaction between Ahsoka and Vader. This kind of wrote itself because it got out of hand and the next chapter that was supposed to be part of this chapter ended up being its own chapter. My mother calls me long winded because I talk like I'm telling a story and it gets on her nerve. But that's what makes me a good writer.

Anyway, read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Ten**

Vader was getting irritated (more than usual anyway) and Ahsoka knew if she didn't hurry up and explain to him what she had in mind, he'd go in and do things his way. She could only hope he wouldn't kill whoever had attacked the school on sight, or else they were doomed.

"We'll go in from behind the wall," Ahsoka said as they looked at a layout of the school.

"What's the wall?"

"The wall blocks where the old school used to be. It's not that high and no one goes there so I bet me and you can get over it without anyone noticing," Ahsoka said to him.

"Except whoever's guarding that wall," Vader said.

"Shouldn't be too much since these teens probably don't think anyone can get over the wall faster than they can call for back up," Ahsoka said giving Vader a meaningful look.

"And you two can do that?" the lieutenant asked skeptically. "Get over the wall quickly I mean?"

"Yes," Vader and Ahsoka said shortly, both ignoring the man's doubt.

"From there we move in and take out the attackers," Ahsoka said simply.

"You two sure you're capable to handle this. I could send in some of my-."

"We'll call you when we're ready," Vader said already heading back for the speeder.

Ahsoka gave the officer an apologetic look before going after him. She scowled at Vader and slid into the seat next to him as he took thee to the other side of the school district where the old school was located, right on an old street that was parallel to their current street.

"You didn't have to be so rude. He was only trying to do his job," she said.

"Apparently he wasn't doing it as effectively as he could have been doing it if something like this happened," Vader muttered.

Ahsoka sighed. "Haven't you learned that you can't stop every bad thing that happens by now?"

Vader paused for a moment before saying, "Yes. But I can try to prevent them."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "That's the same thing Vader," she said pointedly.

Vader was uncharacteristically silent after that and Ahsoka realized he was feeling something that hadn't gripped him so severely since he told her about the nightmare he had about Padmé dying in childbirth.

"Leia will be fine. If it was really that urgent, you'd know it," Ahsoka said and then added, "I'd know it."

"But it started out like this before," Vader said. "And I couldn't save her."

"Your vision of Padmé came true because you tried too hard to stop it from happening," Ahsoka said. "And even then it wasn't your fault. I told you."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Vader said curtly.

Ahsoka looked at him startled. He was never this honest and open with her.

"Then who…?" Ahsoka didn't know whether she should ask or not. She never knew how Vader was going to react.

"My mother," Vader admitted and Ahsoka sensed that was the end of the conversation.

They pulled up to the old school and Ahsoka climbed out after Vader heading swiftly toward the back of the building where the wall was.

Vader snorted. "Not that that high. Sure," hesaid. It was twice as tall as he was.

"Not for a former Jedi and a Sith," Ahsoka said with a smirk.

"Last I checked, you were still a Jedi," Vader said seriously.

"And when was that?"

"When you mentioned it last night," Vader said and without waiting for Ahsoka to reply, he stepped back to get a good running start, ran towards the wall and jumped, landing on top of it with practiced ease and grace.

Ahsoka stared at him deciding now wasn't the time to start a debate about what she told him the night before. Instead, she went back a few feet to make her own jump.

"How long has it been since you've done something like this?" Vader asked with his arms crossed a smirk on his lips.

"Since before Leia was born," Ahsoka admitted wishing he hadn't reminded her.

"Can you get up here or do you need some help?" he asked.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, ran jumped doing a flip in the air, and landed on the wall to prove her point. Unfortunately, she had lost some of her old balance and wobbled a little. Vader grabbed her hand to steady her and Ahsoka gained her balance letting out a sigh of relief.

"I guess you still have it in you," Vader said and then added smugly, "Somewhat…"

Ahsoka glared at him before turning her attention to the girl guarding the back door with her arms cross and then the two leaning against the wall. She rolled her eyes.

"I know them. They're the girls Leia got to fighting with a couple of weeks ago," she muttered.

"She fought off three of them?" Vader asked.

"No. It was two," Ahsoka corrected.

It was impressive still, Vader thought.

"It was the leader who's about sixteen and her thirteen year old friend. I think. But it's some feminist anti-alien group. She told Lana that one day the galaxy would be rid of their kind thanks to their efforts or in shackles where they belonged and Leia grabbed-get this-an umbrella and smack her across the front with it," Ahsoka explained.

Vader wondered what was so big about an umbrella until he realized it was long with a handle like a light saber and when let out while wrapped up, it resembled one.

"The two of them got expelled because of Leia," Ahsoka said. "Leia was almost suspended for attacking without physical provocation, but I managed to _convince_ the principal otherwise."

And she called him unethical, Vader mused.

"They were expelled?" he asked to make sure. "The leader you say?"

"She was preaching it around the school like some kind of cult or clan leader," Ahsoka replied.

Vader cursed. "If she happened to remember Leia, do you think they'd want to get back at her?"

Ahsoka grimaced. Maybe Leia was in more danger than she thought. Vader prepared to go down, lightsaber in hand, but Ahsoka shook her head and handed him a blaster.

"We'd like to avoid revealing who you are if that's possible," Ahsoka said and Vader groaned not liking having to use a blaster.

Even so, he spun it in his hand before he jumped down and swiftly stunned all three girls. Ahsoka jumped down beside him.

"Stun?" Vader asked.

"I knew you would shoot to kill and ask questions later. They're just kids," Ahsoka said as she opened the door and stretched out with her senses before going inside, Vader following behind her.

"Leia's that way," he said pointing to one of the connecting halls leading to the elementary school before Ahsoka could point it out.

Ahsoka ducked behind the door so that no one could see her through the glass on the door and Vader did the same.

"I don't know what they're about to do but those girls are gathering all the non-humans in that hall and lining them against the wall," Ahsoka said.

"Did you see Leia?" he asked.

"I saw her. She's against one of the walls by herself. She knows we're," Ahsoka said.

"Good," Vader said risking a glace through one of the windows. "What are they doing? Some kind of execution?"

"I told you. Anti-alien group," Ahsoka said. "We've got to be careful."

"I know that," Vader snapped and Ahsoka started to reply when they heard voices coming down the adjacent halls.

The two readied to shoot if needed as they came closer.

"I told you we should have gone the other way. This is the back of the school."

"Have you learned nothing from Leia? The back is always the less guarded."

"But what if they know people like us are going to think like that and put all the guards at the back instead," the voice distinctly male and familiar to Ahsoka said.

"Vader wait," Ahsoka said as the two people started to crossed where they were, but Vader already had his blaster trained on whoever it was.

Lana gasped and Abdul shrieked, putting his hand up in surrender. Vader frowned and lowered his blaster.

"This is the first time I've ever been happy to see Leia's dad," Abdul muttered to Lana but it was heard plainly by Ahsoka and Vader.

"Get down," Ahsoka said sighing. "You're going to blow our cover."

The two children, much less intimidated by Ahsoka holding a blaster, knelt down beside her.

"How did you two get out?" she asked.

"Leia said she felt like something was about to happen and we hid before they came," Lana said.

"How come she's in there then?" Vader said unable to contain his fury.

"We got separated," Abdul said cowering under Vader's glare.

"Skyguy stop it," Ahsoka chided and the children looked at Vader confused.

"Skyguy?" they said and then burst into giggles.

"That's enough," Vader finally said. "We have to figure out something."

"You need to contact Leia," Ahsoka suggested.

"How?"

"You're her father," Ahsoka said pointedly.

"I know that but-. No," Vader said catching her drift.

"Vader," Ahsoka said.

"No."

"It's our only hope. You have to open that connection with her or we won't be able to stop this," Ahsoka said.

"But the emperor-."

"Are you more afraid of the emperor or the fact that your daughter's in danger?" Ahsoka snapped her panic now taking over as she felt the urgency in the force.

Vader looked at Ahsoka who until then had been keeping a calm and cool head. But now he was starting to feel her carefully concealed fear which was quickly turned into angry frustration that she was now directing towards him because he was being so difficult. It then dawned on him, that Ahsoka was just as worried, if not more worried than, about Leia as he was. He had never thought about it until now, but just like Leia more than likely saw her as a mother, Ahsoka saw Leia as her daughter whether she would admit to it or not. This wasn't just his and Padmé's child anymore. This was his, Padmé, and Ahsoka's child, if that made sense.

He sighed. The jedi never felt things as deeply, if they felt at all, as he had and it was easy to forget Ahsoka wasn't that passive even though she claimed to be a Jedi. Ahsoka was probably the only exception to that passiveness he'd met, which was the only reason he kept her around.

Vader reached into the force and touched the connection that he had been careful not to touch up until then and opened it up, mentally tapping on the bond to gain Leia's attention.

_Leia!_

There was a long pause and before the girl finally answered.

_Daddy?_

_What's going on?_

Leia was obviously confused on how it was possible to hear her father's voice in her head, but didn't ask questions about it.

_They're going to kill all the non-humans._

_And why are you there? _Vader asked

_Because I got their leader expelled a few weeks ago and she's mad at me, _Leia said.

_Did they hurt you?_

_No. I just hurt my ankle when I jumped out the ceiling vent,_ Leia said.

_I need you to-. Hold it. You jumped out a ceiling vent? What possessed you to do something so reckless? Why were you even in the vents in the first place?_

_I wanted to see what was going on. So when we were in the bathroom I-._

_You mean they didn't know you were here? You could have gotten away and you needlessly put yourself in danger because you wanted to know what was going on? _Vader asked with obvious displeasure.

_Well, it sounds bad when you say it like that. But I knew you were on the way so what was the harm?_

Vader made a mental note to sit Leia down and explain to her what she was to do if she were ever in an emergency situation like this again or to simply avoid them in general. Rule # 1: Never needlessly and recklessly put yourself in danger. It would erase half of his worries for the girl and extend his lifespan significantly. In fact, he should have done so ages ago, after the time Leia decided she was going camping by herself because Ahsoka and Vader refused to take her. However, there would be time for lectures after he got her out of this disaster alive.

_I need you to get out of the way so Ahsoka and I can handle this._ Vader said and Leia sent a mental nod.

_But how?_

_You need to get through these doors. But I don't want you to do anything reckless, _Vader added quickly.

But Leia didn't reply as she was already on top of what she needed to do. Vader looked into the glass again and to his surprise found Leia concentrating on one of the girls who had and extra blaster on her belt. Slowly and shakily, but surely, the blaster lifted out her pocket and came into Leia's waiting hands.

"Whoa!" Abdul and Lana said simultaneously as they watched the girl levitate the blaster.

"Where'd she learn to do that?" Abdul asked.

"I'm wondering the same thing," Vader said glancing at Ahsoka out the corner of his eyes.

"Don't look at me," Ahsoka muttered. "I haven't used the force like that in years since she saw me that time."

"I guess it stuck," Vader said grudgingly.

"Tell her to hurry up," Ahsoka said feeling the urgency in the force.

_Leia-._

But Leia had already readied the blaster and in two swift shots she had knocked out the two girls in front of her.

"And that's our cue," Ahsoka said feeling safer about this now that Leia was armed to protect herself. She went through the doors and getting one of the girls that had turned on Leia to stun her.

"Get everyone out of here," Vader said to Lana and Abdul who crawled under the blaster fire that was coming their way before getting to the other side and nodding to all the non-humans on the wall.

"Forget them," the red headed girl Leia had decided was their leader. "Don't let that scum get away."

"Get her Dad," Leia shouted. "She's the leader!"

Vader tried his best but in all the chaos, it was proving hard to do so, especially with the girl firing bolts at everyone she could fire at. After a few of the non-humans had been shot down Vader cursed what Ahsoka said and reached to grabbed his light saber. However, to his surprise, Ahsoka grabbed hers and slashed the two nearest to her in the chest.

"I thought we weren't supposed to use light sabers," he said pointedly drawing his red blade.

"We weren't, but this girl had gathered a bigger following than I thought. Besides, you can only attack with a blaster, not defend," Ahsoka said with a smile.

"What the hell," one of the girls said when she saw the blades just as Vader struck her down.

"Get out of here!" their leader yelled amongst the chaos of the fleeing non-humans who were now trying to get out wherever they could. She turned to Leia who was trying to scurry away on her hands and knees though she couldn't walk. The girl grabbed her and forced her to stand up. "This is all your fault!"

"I told you my dad would come," Leia said and then closed her mouth as the girl pointed the blaster to her head.

"Vader," Ahsoka yelled not seeing where Leia had gone but sensing her fear. "Where's Leia?"

Vader had already spotted the girl at the other end of the hall and since he wouldn't be quick enough to get to them with everyone in the way. He aimed the blaster he was still holding in his left hand at the girl's wrist and shot.

Leia jumped back in surprise at the bolt and her attacker dropped her blaster as she clutched the hole in her wrist while trying to hold back her screams. Vader met the girl's eyes, satisfied at the sudden terror she felt as he started towards her.

But Vader couldn't get to her quick enough as everyone filled out the hall and she shot out the door on her end and ran. By then the rest of her gang was gone too. Vader cursed as he made to follow behind her determined not to let them get away, but Ahsoka got in his way as she rushed to check on Leia who had sunk to the ground holding her swollen ankle.

"You okay?" Ahsoka asked as she looked at Leia not wanting to take her eyes off her to be sure that she was still alive and well.

"My ankle just hurts," Leia muttered.

Ahsoka let out a breath she had no idea she was holding. She had never known the kind of fear that gripped her when she felt the force warn her that Leia's life was being threatened and didn't even know that kind of fear existed.

"Alright then," Ahsoka said helping her stand up.

Vader, satisfied that Leia was fine, but furious that she was still hurt started out the door to find the rest of those girls. They were still in the city and he would find them. Ahsoka, noticing this stopped him.

"Where are you going?" she asked standing in front of him to stop him.

"To bring those girls to justice," he said.

Ahsoka narrowed her eyes. "Is it justice or revenge?" she asked.

"What does it matter? They hurt Leia and then tried to kill her," Vader snapped.

"Actually I hurt my ankle when I jumped out the vent," Leia muttered softly not wanting to spark her father's rage further even though it wasn't directed at her or even Ahsoka really.

"But they didn't make it any better did they?" Vader asked pointedly and Leia shook her head.

"And they did try to kill you?" Vader asked to which Leia nodded again. "Point made."

Vader started to push Ahsoka aside but she stood firm.

"It's over Vader. They're gone. Leia's safe. Don't let your lust for revenge motivate you," Ahsoka pleaded angrily.

Vader started to just walk past her and ignore her, but then he noticed something he had never seen her so obviously show. She was worried about him and in that moment he went back to when she and Padmé had pleaded for him to stop, to turn his back on the dark side. She had been worried then too and afraid of the impending heartbreak that she didn't want to feel but was expecting to follow. But he had been so sure that they had betrayed him that day, he hadn't recognized it.

He couldn't make her nor Padmé understand that day because he was so focused on their obvious rejection of him and everything he had done. But he wouldn't make that mistake again. He had to make Ahsoka understand that this wasn't about revenge, well, not completely anyway.

"It's not just about that," he said using a softer, but still determined, tone and rubbing one of her bare arms.

Ahsoka's expression softened but she still didn't move.

Leia was looking on with surprise. She hadn't expected her father to resort to trying to reason with Ahsoka. She thought he would just push her out the way and go, ensuring that they would be arguing for the rest of her father's stay, which would result in her father leaving early just to get away from Ahsoka. She looked on in anticipation.

"Then what is it about?" Ahsoka asked coolly trying not to let on how much his touch affected her.

"It's about Leia. People like that aren't just going to forget about this. Leia will be in danger as long as those girls are out there. I won't have my daughter having made an enemy at nine years old that will come back to take their revenge on her one day," Vader explained. "And I know you don't want that either. So I'm going after them whether you approve or not and you're not going to stop me."

Ahsoka stared at him for a moment. He made a valid point, but she knew part of it still had something to do with revenge. When he was like this, he was all Vader, yet somehow still himself. She stepped aside to let him go and he truly did simply plan on walking past her and leaving until Ahsoka spoke up

"Be careful," she muttered.

And then Vader couldn't resist it any longer. He gave into the longing and pulled her to him in a gentle kiss.

"Yes!" Leia whispered to herself. Finally!

She didn't protest like she had last time and it was probably because she was too busy trying to control her own longing as she kissed him back. He pulled away before she could protest or get mad and walked past her to make good on his intentions.

Ahsoka stood for a moment stunned before Leia reminded her that they had to leave. She lifted the girl in her arms and led her out the hall, into the elementary school, where the local law enforcement met her offering to take Leia.

"I have her," she said keeping Leia in her arms. "Her father went to follow the gang. He'll be back. We're going home."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** It's not really a cliffy but I know you all eagerly anticipating the next chapter and you're going to hate me for it. I know it. Nothing to say really.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	11. Chapter 11

**AN:** I got over a hundred reviews in ten chapters! This is really proving to be my most popular fic and it's all thanks to you readers and reviewers. It makes me so happy that people are reading this. Ahem. Now that that's out the way, this is one of my shorter chapters and maybe because there was no need for it to be long. But it's still important. Leia and Ahsoka talk and Vader comes back. So yeah… It's important for the story.

Some of you may hate me for how this goes, but one of my goals when writing this story was to make that distinction a distinction between Padmé and Ahsoka. So just read it and then you tell me what you think. I myself was very pleased with it.

Anyway, read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Eleven**

"How's your ankle feeling?" Ahsoka asked as she checked on Leia who was stuck in bed much to her displeasure.

"It's better. I guess," Leia said and Ahsoka could already see that she was growing restless.

"Don't worry. It'll be healed soon," Ahsoka promised.

"Not soon enough. I've been sitting right here for the last six hours," Leia whined.

"No you haven't. Lana and Abdul were here as long as they could be to keep you company. Besides, it's time for you to go to sleep. You've had a long day," Ahsoka said to her.

"Daddy's not back yet," Leia pointed out.

Ahsoka looked away from Leia for a moment and then said, "You'll see him in the morning then."

Ahsoka started to leave the room when Leia said, "You think daddy's mad at me."

Ahsoka turned around. "What makes you say that?"

"Because he didn't sound happy that I had gotten myself into trouble… again," Leia added.

Ahsoka sighed and went to sit on the bed next to Leia.

"Your dad's not angry with you and if he is, believe me he's over it," Ahsoka assured.

"But still…" Leia said trailing off.

"If your dad is angry it's only for one reason."

"And what's that?"

"Because he loves you very much," Ahsoka said.

"That doesn't make any sense," Leia pointed out.

"I know it doesn't. But you dad has always had a problem showing how he really feels for someone. The only one he ever opened up to was your mother," Ahsoka added.

"Still, anger?"

"Your father's suffered a lot Leia. They used to call him the Hero with no Fear. But the truth was, it was his fear that drove him and his biggest fear is losing the ones he cares about. And he hates feeling that way, helpless to do anything and so he shows his fear through anger. So while he sounded angry, he was just really scared that he would lose you."

"How can daddy feel helpless? He's so strong. I've seen him," Leia said remembering the camping disaster.

"Some things are beyond human control Leia, and even though he denies it a lot, on some level, your father knows that. It makes him scared and angry," Ahsoka explained.

Leia was quiet for a moment before saying, "I didn't mean to scare him."

Ahsoka laughed. "Don't worry about it. What goes around eventually comes around…"

"What do you mean?"

"Your father was just like you… probably worse since he was training to be a Jedi. He didn't just attracted trouble or stumble upon it. He knowingly walked into it without a second thought. It took some getting used to when I met him," Ahsoka said dryly remembering her first mission with him to find Jabba's son.

"So the camping thing wasn't that bad right?"

"Oh it was. But nothing nearly as bad as some of the stuff your dad did. You didn't land yourself in the hospital," Ahsoka pointed out.

Leia brightened up in relief and Ahsoka had a feeling she was going to use this against her father soon. Then she became serious again and asked, "Why doesn't he just say he's scared instead of getting angry?"

"Because your father sees it as a sign of weakness. People would use it against him and he won't allow that. So he allows his anger to get the best of him," Ahsoka said knowingly. She felt a little odd explaining all this to Leia though. It meant that on some level, Ahsoka couldn't blame him for anything he had done.

"Is it a sign of weakness?"

"No. It only makes you weak when you don't face it," Ahsoka said and that was one thing Vader always did except when it came to the thought of losing people he cared about.

Leia was silent for a while and Ahsoka assumed she was in her own thoughts and so got up to leave.

"Is that why he always gets so angry at you?" Leia asked.

"What?" Ahsoka said turning back to look at her.

"You said daddy gets angry when he's scared. So when he gets angry at you, is he scared?"

Ahsoka started to roll her eyes and reply with dry humor until Leia's words really sank in. Ahsoka went back to all the reasons they had fought before, over the empire, raising Leia, Padmé, the Sith and the Jedi. The reasons were endless and didn't seem to indicate fear at all.

Ahsoka shrugged. "I doubt it. Now enough talking. It's late. Time for bed."

Leia reluctantly lied down as Ahsoka turned out the light and left the room. Ahsoka closed the door and contemplated going to bed herself but instead she decided to stay up and wait for Vader. She made herself comfortable on the couch and turned on the holo-vision.

"Miss Ahsoka," Threepio said coming to her. "If that's all you need for today, I'd like to go and shut myself down."

"That will be all Threepio," Ahsoka said. "Where's Artoo?"

"I believe he went upstairs to keep Miss Leia company ma'am," Threepio said and Ahsoka frowned.

Leia was smart. She hadn't even noticed Artoo was in the room. Probably made him hide in the bathroom, Ahsoka mused as Threepio excused himself and went into the kitchen.

Exhausted as she was, she'd wait on Vader. It shouldn't have taken him long to take care of those girls, but he had to take care of other things, like take care of the witnessed that may have seen their light sabers and have people to clean up the bodies with light saber cuts on them. Ahsoka couldn't believe he had convinced her to let him do it. It wasn't the Jedi way to let someone take justice or revenge into their own hands and it made her realize just how silly it was to cling to the old belief of an order that was dead except for a few jedi who managed to escape. It was in times like these that Ahsoka couldn't make the distinction between Anakin and Vader and her talk with Leia hadn't helped. Anakin would have done the same thing, run after the enemy if he knew he could find them and bring them to justice himself if it was necessary and with Anakin, it had always been necessary.

There was something about him that made people want to fight him even though they knew there was no way they could win (his reputation preceded him). People rarely surrendered to Anakin and it was the same for Vader. She remembered asking him in Jabba's palace when she first became his padawan if stuff like that happened all the time. It had been meant as a joke and Anakin had known it, but he very seriously replied, "Everywhere I go."

Even when faced with impossible odds, Anakin would always win _eventually_. There was no such thing as impossible odds when it came to him and Ahsoka sometimes wondered if it was because Anakin was just lucky like that or if it was sheer determination and will that made it seem that way. Only people who pretty much knew they didn't stand a chance, but stood up to Anakin anyway had a chance. It's why Obi-wan was able to defeat him on Mustafar.

Either way, Palpatine had sought to make Anakin all warrior and unstoppable, a person to drive fear into the hearts of people like he had as a war hero in the Clone Wars and then take away the good in him that tempered that side of him. And to Ahsoka's horror, that was the side of Anakin she saw most of the time. Sure she saw the gentler side, everyone had. However not even Padmé had seen all of the ugly side that came out in a time of war. But Ahsoka had and that's was the man she fell in love with, the determined war man who knew no mercy toward his enemies, but was fiercely loyal to those who stood beside him. And once that physical mask of Darth Vader was removed, Ahsoka had realized that it was pretty much the same person and fallen again and hard…

"Stang," she muttered to herself half asleep.

"I certainly do hope you don't talk like that around Leia," Vader said coming into the room she was sitting in.

She lifted her head up to look at him in surprise. She hadn't even noticed he was back.

Ahsoka smiled a little, "Coming from the man that doesn't think twice about cursing in huttese around her."

"In a language she doesn't understand," Vader pointed out.

"But that she's eventually going to pick up from you," Ahsoka reminded and was silent as Vader ran a hand over his face in exhaustion. If it had been a long day for her, it must have been an even longer one for him.

"Did you do what you had to do?" Ahsoka asked.

"It's done," he said tiredly.

"Did you hurt yourself?"

"Not today," he said simply. "Where's Leia?"

"Sleep I hope. She wanted to wait up for you, but that was about an hour ago," Ahsoka said knowing that they both were simply delaying the conversation they knew they had to have. And knowing how much trouble Vader had with words, Ahsoka knew she would have to be the one to start it. She groaned. If ten years ago someone told her she would be involved in a complicated love-hate relationship with her former master one day, she would have rolled her eyes and let them be with their delusions.

"Why did you do that?" Ahsoka asked with her arms crossed.

"Do what?"

And now he was going to play dumb…

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked.

"You didn't seem entirely against the idea," Vader pointed out and Ahsoka blushed. She hated when he did that.

"That's not answering my question," Ahsoka said pointedly but she could feel the inner conflict inside him. It answered her question enough.

"I don't know," He said.

Vader was lying and he knew Ahsoka could sense it, but he wasn't about to admit any feelings that weren't like a sith. Ahsoka had been right the night before. He just barely acknowledged it with Leia and even then he would never say it aloud. He sighed, he thought he had left all this behind when he became a Sith. He wasn't supposed to care about anyone except Leia. It had been the same when he was a Jedi, but their rules seemed to encourage love more that it disregarded it although that's what the jedi did. The only thing even close to that emotion he should feel as a sith was lust, but he knew it wasn't _just _lust. He would just never admit it aloud or even to himself. But lust… that was something he could allow himself to feel. It wasn't too far a cry from the jedi principals either. They weren't allowed attachments or to love, but they didn't have to be celibate. Lust was acceptable.

He met her eyes and somehow-Vader wasn't sure how, just that it had happened-she got what he wanted to say. No not wanted to say. She somehow knew what he needed to say and in return he somehow knew that she understood he could and would never say it. She'd tolerate his game, even play it for now.

Ahsoka slowly rose from her spot and leaned up to kiss him, initiating the passion for the first time since Vader had started it yesterday. He pulled her close to him and unlike the day before when he tried the same thing and she pushed him away, she returned the embrace.

He ran his mechanical hand over her arm, the one he hadn't let the doctors replace and muttered, "Come with me."

"No," she said. She would give in to her longing but only so far. "Let's just stay right here."

This was a step from the day before so Vader didn't get frustrated. He'd be patient with her, or as patient as he could be, he decided as he fell on the couch with her.

From where she was observing from the top of the steps, Leia had to hold back a groan as she quietly slipped back into her room, careful not to agitate her ankle. She looked at Artoo.

"Well this is marked improvement," she said sighing. "But they're still in denial."

She had learned from Lana, who learned from her own mother, that kissing did not mean two people were in love. But Leia would take what she could right now. This was better than hearing them argue all the time although she had no doubt that they would continue to do that.

Artoo made a reply.

"Daddy was in the same boat with mom for a while?" she asked.

Artoo nodded his dome.

"So there's hope they might really love each other?" she asked hopefully.

Artoo replied hesitantly at first before adding a dry comment.

"You're right. Mom wasn't a Jedi and Daddy wasn't… whatever he is," Leia really had to figure out exactly what her father was that made him different from a Jedi. "This might take a lot longer than it did for mom and dad."

Artoo gave her an encourage response.

"Sure I've been patient this far. But it's going to be hard to do that when they're so close," Leia said sighing. "But this is victory enough for now. Come on Artoo. I've got to get back in bed before they notice I'm not in bed."

Artoo made a joking reply and Leia laughed.

"Yeah… It may be a while before they come check on me."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** So now it's a very casual sort of lust thing for now… I don't believe in these types of relationships (on the other hand I don't judge anyone who does) but it was perfect for this story. You won't believe how long I slaved over that ending. It had to be perfect. I _wanted_ it to be perfect. I had to add a paragraph to make it flow because the transition of understanding seemed so sudden.

I know you hate me but the story wasn't meant to end there and I couldn't have it be that simple. We're talking about Darth Vader and Ahsoka, a Sith and a Jedi. This was a very delicate situation. As you can probably guess, Leia doesn't sit for this for too long… a while but not too long. The next chapter is where the fun begins again and there's another time jump so to speak. Oh yeah and a lot of the stuff mentioned but not really addressed in this chapter does come up again… in the next story.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	12. Chapter 12

**AN:** Okay… So there was a little confusion about the last chapter and so I have some things to clear up. One is that people thought Ahsoka would give the cold shoulder. But she knows Vader enough to know he's not going to admit directly how he feels. In fact the fact that she knows he shows fear through his anger proves she can tell and to be honest, and it's not like she's pouring her heart out to him declaring her undying love. Remember, she pushed him away the first time trying to hide her own feelings and in the end is still in denial. So in a way, they're both trying to stay within the confines of their Sith and Jedi beliefs which is why the lust thing works so well.

Next, we do get a lot of Ahsoka's musing on the past as she tries to connect Vader and Anakin. But Vader is trying to act like his past doesn't exist and Leia and Ahsoka are the only pieces of it he's brought with him as a Sith. He won't even talk about Padmé. But if it makes you feel better, we get some of his musings at the end of this story and in its sequel.

Lastly, no Vader and Ahsoka did not-and I repeat-did not sleep together. I mean it's obvious Vader was trying to lead her there, which is why Ahsoka opted to stay out in the open knowing Leia was in the house. But in relation to my first point, there's only so far Ahsoka will go even though she's given in a little. So it is the cold shoulder to an extent… Depends on your point of view.

Oh and a shout out to Abby who I wouldn't have known spoke English as a second language if she hadn't mentioned that she spoke French. I wouldn't have known when I read her review otherwise. Good job. I wish I had the patience to learn another language. I probably just need someone to drop me in a country that speaks Spanish or french and I'll pick it up.

Anyway, read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Twelve**

"What do you mean you're not happy!" Abdul asked Leia loudly attracting the attention of some of the other children in the cafeteria.

Leia was sitting with her arms crossed staring at her lunch as she talked to her best friends. She had mentioned that her father had been back that morning and unexpectedly so since he usually gave them a heads up. By now she knew the significance of the _Darth_ in Darth Vader. It meant he was a Sith Lord, and since he was subjected to his master he was trying to avoid the emperor finding out what he was doing when he took a break, the visits coming fewer and farther in between in the last few years. But strangely it had only been two and a half months since he last visited and he seemed irritated.

"I mean that they're still in denial! They won't admit they love each other or even like each other for that matter," the now thirteen year old said in frustration.

"Around you," Abdul pointed out.

"I would know. I would sense it," Leia said groaning. Lana and Abdul had long since found out about her force powers and it made them feel better to know that there was a reason she simply knew when something was going to happen and could read people so well. But even so, it didn't mean they exactly understood it.

"They're not acting like two people who love each other. In fact it's gotten worse, like they're trying to prove that all the want is kisses."

It had been nearly four years since whatever had started between her father and Ahsoka and even that was still a little slow. But that was to be expected. Her father came home to see her. Ahsoka was just someone who happened to be there and he occasionally found himself making out with. And that was the problem Leia had. But there was nothing she could do to make her father come home more often.

"Maybe you just have to accept the fact that you're not going to get much more than this from them Leia," Lana said sighing. "Even though I agree. It's not the same as what you want

Abdul rolled his eyes. "Girls. They're never happy… It's never bothered you before. In fact, you were completely fine with it before. What's changed?"

Leia got her period. That was what happened. But she very well couldn't tell Abdul that. It started months ago a little after her thirteenth birthday (which was eight and a half months ago) and in curiosity about what was happening to her body, she asked Ahsoka what it meant. She had explained that in her culture it meant a girl was eligible to get married soon. But to put it plain and simple Leia was a woman (at least in the physical sense she was) and that she was able to carry children one day when she fell in love and got married, which led Leia to asking what love was which inevitably led her to asking if you had to be in love to have sex with someone or even have any kind of physical relationship and what the big deal about it was.

Leia somehow wondered if Ahsoka had been expecting her to ask the question because she had been strangely calm about it and somewhat distant. It wasn't until Leia had thought about her dad that she realized Ahsoka had been thinking about the physical relationship she had with her father. It was an unspoken relationship in the house. Leia was pretty sure her father and Ahsoka knew she was aware of it being that they hadn't tried to hide it, but she didn't understand it. And it was only when Ahsoka had answered Leia's questions that she wondered if Ahsoka's distance and calmness may have been guilt that she was telling Leia one thing but doing something else entirely.

It had been bothering her since. This wasn't what she wanted for her father and Ahsoka, mind her she was pretty sure they never had sex, not that Leia wanted to think about it. She found the idea… a little sickening. But Ahsoka had indirectly told her because she admitted she was a virgin when Leia asked if you had to be married to have sex to which Ahsoka said it depended on the person and that she had never done it but not because she felt she needed to be married.

Leia sighed a little bothered. Her conversation with her caretaker had given her a lot to think about.

"So what are you going to do?" Lana asked knowing what Leia was going to say being that she had told Lana about it months ago.

"I don't know. I think they do love each other. They just need to admit it to each other or realize it. I need to get them to spend some time together…" Leia said sighing.

It was a task easier said than done as the two avoided each other half the time (but it was a considerable improvement from avoiding each other _all_ the time). She had learned in conjunction with the fact that her father was a Sith, that Sith and Jedi were natural enemies. It was no wonder, Leia mused, that she had so much trouble getting them together thus far.

"In that case, set them up on a date," Abdul said dryly in an obvious tone because to be honest, he was growing bored of his two friends' conversation. His best friends just had to be two girls…

Leia blinked. "Now that's an idea."

Abdul sat up and said quickly, "I didn't actually mean for you to consider it!"

"But it would force them to spend some time with each other. But how would I get them out together without them knowing I set them up…"

"My mother is always telling Ahsoka she needs to have some adult fun," Lana suggested and Leia snapped her finger.

"That's it. Your mother!"

"What?"

"Come over to my house today. Can you?" Leia asked excited.

"I guess but why?" Lana asked confused.

"Good," said Leia.

"Wait. What am I supposed to do today?" Abdul asked.

"You have male friends. Spend some time with them today. Tonight is girls' night," Leia said determined.

"What are you up to Leia?" Lana asked.

Leia didn't say and plopped a piece of fruit in her mouth.

Lana sighed. "Let me just call my mother," she said taking out her com to do so but Leia stopped her.

"Don't call your mother."

"Why?" Lana asked this time frustrated with her best friend's games.

"I'll tell you when it works. Just trust me."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Vader groaned in frustration as he worked on the speeder Leia had fried racing again. He really wasn't mad about it, but the last few months since he had been home had been frustrating. And then after his last mission he had been so angry he promptly took a one man shuttle and left surprising Ahsoka when she sensed him come in the early hours of the morning. He simply went to the garage and Ahsoka mentioned the speeder Leia had fried knowing he was looking for something to fix.

No doubt the emperor would be displeased when he showed up again, but he was beyond caring. In fact, in his anger his anger he ran Ahsoka off when she asked him if he was alright with something rather harsh. He didn't remember what it was but he knew it was harsher than anything he had said to her in recent years. No doubt she would be mad about it later. He also almost snapped at Leia when she came and saw him home unexpectedly. Almost… Until he looked up and noticed how much she had grown up in the time he had been gone. She had grown up so much and seemed like only yesterday Ahsoka had brought her to him, only a day or two old.

She had helped him with the speeder a little before going off to school and now he was slowly becoming frustrated again. Artoo passed him a tool and Vader started to use it before groaning in frustration and throwing the tool down, startling Artoo. He grabbed a towel and wiped his hands off before heading into the kitchen.

Ahsoka, hearing him come back in went to see what he was doing and started to ask if he was okay until she noticed she had messed up the floor with his shoes.

"Now look what you did," Ahsoka groaned and then noticed Vader was a mess in general and going to mess up the kitchen.

"What I did?" Vader asked in irritation. "How could you let Leia fry that thing? What kind of caretaker are you letting her race like that?"

"It's not like I can stop her. She gets it from you," Ahsoka snapped not appreciating him taking out his frustration on her.

"That's always your excuse," Vader muttered and groaned as he closed the refrigerator.

"What's your problem?" Ahsoka asked growing angry with him. "I won't have you taking out whatever it is on me and not telling me what's going on. Either that or I swear I'll get my lightsaber and attack you."

If he weren't feeling so miserable, Vader would have smirked and called her bluff. She had been saying that to him for years and hadn't done it yet. But alas, he wasn't in the mood.

"Nothing," Vader said dismissively.

"Liar," Ahsoka said. "What went wrong?"

"Luke is what," Vader groaned.

"Luke?" Ahsoka said. Vader never talked about Luke even though she knew he spent whatever free time he had searching for him.

"I was so close," Vader muttered. "But Obi-wan got away with him again and the horrible part is that I even was able to talk to him for a while. I was in the mid rim tracking some rebel activity and I guess they were with him. I thought he was familiar somehow, but I didn't know until I found the rebels and there Obi-wan was trying to get him away. He was so afraid of me."

Ahsoka sighed. "Vader, he didn't know."

"He should have, but all he saw was a man in a suit," Vader said avoiding looking at her. "I've never hated that suit as much as I did at that moment."

"Is that why you're here. Taking comfort in one child?" Ahsoka asked.

"I had to. She never ran away from me," Vader said and paused. Ahsoka was sure he wanted to say something else so she waited.

"That," he finally said. "And to see someone who trusted me to keep my own daughter safe."

"Vader," Ahsoka said ignoring that he was subtly thanking her.

"I wasn't supposed to be here. I was supposed to finish the investigation, but I was just so angry and frustrated…" Vader trailed off. "I had to come back."

"It's not your fault. We'll get Luke back one day," Ahsoka said understanding his anger as she knelt down in front of him. If someone ever took Leia from her, she'd tear up the galaxy to find her.

"Still," Vader muttered as he caressed her face.

Ahsoka leaned into his touch and closed her eyes sighing before they leaned in and kissed each other.

Over the last few years she and Vader's relationship hadn't changed much. It was never anything more than a lot of kissing and sometimes touches. They both found comfort in it. That was all. Nothing more and nothing less. It was just for the pleasure of it all but lately, meaning after his last visit, it wasn't enough for either of them. It wasn't satisfying enough. They both wanted more.

Ahsoka felt it and was keenly aware of it as she straddled his lap and Vader pulled her closer. She felt it both physically and through the force. Vader ran kisses across her cheek until his lips were near her ear.

"I need you," he whispered huskily.

"I know," she replied.

"That's not a yes or no," he said.

"Leia will be home soon."

"That's not the answer I want to hear," he said.

"You're talking too much," she muttered meeting his lips again.

Vader groaned and started to reach his hand under her top before they both felt two presences coming in the kitchen. But it was too late to fix themselves. Vader only had time to move his hand from under her shirt as Ahsoka pulled away from his kiss before Leia and Lana walked in the kitchen and paused in the doorway.

Ahsoka sighed not really that embarrassed as she leaned her head on Vader's shoulder and looked at Leia.

"Need something princess?" Vader asked.

Leia smirked. "No. Not at all. Me and Lana will just order something out. Do you mind?"

"No," Ahsoka said not moving. It was easier to just act like she wasn't guilty of doing something wrong in order to avoid being embarrassed.

"We'll be in my room," Leia said and pushed Lana back into the living room and up the stairs.

Vader frowned as he watched Leia. Sometimes he got the same feeling around his daughter as he did around Palpatine when the emperor was manipulating a plan of his. He was never wary of Leia though. She wasn't trying to plan and manipulate to gain power at the sake of others. But whatever it was benefited her or she wanted it for someone, otherwise, she wouldn't have been manipulating it… unless she was like his master and simply enjoyed it like it was a game.

"What's wrong?" Ahsoka asked standing up sensing his contemplation about his daughter.

"I just get the feeling we're being manipulated somehow," Vader said standing up.

"By Leia?" Ahsoka asked skeptically as she raised an eyebrow. "Sure."

"She's got you fooled with her innocence," Vader said crossing his arms. "But she's not as innocent as she tries to act."

"And you know this how?"

"Because I'm her father," Vader pointed out as the doorbell sounded.

Ahsoka went to go get it being that Vader was in no state to answer a door since he was a mess and he tended to scare people.

"Tamara," she said in surprise at seeing Lana's mother. "What are you doing here?"

Ahsoka stepped aside to let her in.

"Is Lana here?"

"Yes," Ahsoka said wincing a little. They were no doubt talking about what they had walked in on in the kitchen. "They just went upstairs. I think they're about to order something to eat."

"Oh," Tamara said looking relieved. "Just checking. She usually calls me when she's not coming home and I was a little concerned when she was late."

Vader came out the kitchen about to head upstairs when Tamara spotted him and nodded her head.

"Lord Vader," she said nodding her head.

Vader nodded curtly and started to go up the steps before the distinct sound of Leia playing loud music came on and he groaned before deciding to sit down on the couch.

"I'll tell them to turn it down," Ahsoka said to him.

"Just leave it," Vader muttered leaning back and closing his eyes.

Tamara looked upstairs and then at Vader before saying, "How about I take them home? I don't mind having them over to the house."

"It's fine," Ahsoka said sighing. "I'm more than accustomed to it."

Tamara scowled. "And that's what worries me. How long has it been since you've gotten out the house and had adult fun?"

"Never," Ahsoka said after a moment's thought about it. "I've been taking care of Leia since I was seventeen."

"That's my point," Tamara said. "You could use some leisure time and so could he. He's all about the empire and Leia."

Vader looked up at that. It was a very bold thing for Tamara to point out. He didn't do fun and frivolity for the sake of doing so and when he voiced this Tamara rolled her eyes.

"Nonsense. Keep up with the all work and no play and you'll both burn yourself out before you hit fifty. You're too young to be prudes," Tamara said and before either Ahsoka or Vader could protest, she was heading up the stairs to get Lana and Leia.

When she came back down she said, "Leia's getting some things to stay at my house overnight. You two go out and do something. You both look like you could use it."

Leia came running down the steps with Lana. Leia went into the kitchen to get her two droids to come with her and then turned to Ahsoka and Vader.

"Lana's mom says she's making you go out," she said trying to stop the smug smile that crept on her face at Lana's disbelief.

"We're not going anywhere. Tamara just wants us to get some rest," Vader said firmly.

"No. I want you all to relax and have some fun outside the house and I'll hold your daughter captive if I have to," Tamara said.

Vader glared at her. "That wouldn't be a wise decision," he said to her darkly.

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "She just trying to help. And maybe she's right. Maybe we do need to get out of the house. It couldn't hurt."

"And do what?" Vader asked.

"Have dinner. Catch a movie. Take a walk. It doesn't have to be extravagant," Tamara said in an overly patient tone at the other two adults.

"Yeah, just two friends trying to wind down," Leia said encouragingly. "Not like it's a date or anything. See you in the morning Daddy and Ahsoka."

Tamara went out the door and Leia led a stunned Lana out the door as Ahsoka closed it behind them.

Lana looked at the house and then at Leia.

"How did you pull that off?" she asked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," said Leia but she could keep from smiling.

"You just set you father and Ahsoka up on a date without saying a word. Did you put my mother up to that?" Lana asked.

Leia shook her head. "I just counted on her to come by to see where you were. I knew she'd notice my dad was tired and offer to take us. I also knew Ahsoka would act like she wouldn't care, and since your mother's always telling Ahsoka she needs to get out more, I figured she would create the opportunity for it and suggest it to both of them."

"Leia Skywalker," Lana said shaking her head. She rarely used her friend's real last name being the few privileged to know it. "You manipulative, conniving, person!"

"I'm not manipulating anything. I'm just pushing them in the right direction is all."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** I love writing Leia's scheming. This one was tricky but I managed it. So not a cliffy. But you get it.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	13. Chapter 13

**AN:** So before I get to the story, I'm about to do some shameless advertising for a story on here that you all might like if you like my stuff. There's a story somewhere on here called _Falling: The Fate of Ahsoka Tano_ by **Lionlad** and if you like this story, you need to read that one. It's his first fic but it's brilliantly written and in combination with the fact that it's **M** rated and it's his first fic, it is seriously not getting the recognition and reviews it deserves. I haven't been this excited about a fic in a while. So if you want to take a look at it, do so. And if my little sis is reading this, stay the hell away because even though it's only a very high rated **T** right now, it's rated **M** for a reason.

Now that that's done, I just wanted to comment on Leia's scheming. Yeah, in the movie she doesn't seem the manipulative type. But if you look at her history, she had a natural aptitude for politics and part of that is being able to read people and predict how they'll react to something. So since she's not being groomed to be a politician, naturally she needs an outlet for it and it comes out in her ability to manipulate situations. That was just my theory.

Anyway, read, enjoy, and review! You're going to love this one…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Thirteen**

Adult fun. That was something Ahsoka didn't even know the definition of. She hardly knew the definition of fun when she was a teenager. Fun for her was fooling around in between missions or talking with her Master after a particularly dangerous and difficult mission thanking the force they were alive. Then Padmé died and Ahsoka took it upon herself to essentially take care of Leia after she brought her back to her father and to be honest, that had pretty much made her a teen mother which pretty much meant there was no time for her to discover adult fun.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Vader muttered and Ahsoka raided his closet for something more relaxing to wear as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"It's not the end of the world. Besides, you of all people could use some fun," Ahsoka said.

"I'm not even supposed to be here right now," Vader added.

"All the more reason for you to get out. It'll take your mind off your problems," Ahsoka said coming out his closet with a white button shirt. "Put this on."

"Where are we going?" Vader asked taking it from her.

"The movies and some little bar restaurant Tamara suggested," Ahsoka said shrugging.

Vader sighed again as he summoned the keys to him with the force and started down the stairs.

"I can't believe I'm letting you drag me into this," he said.

"Must you be so anti-social?" Ahsoka asked him raising an eyebrow.

"Sith don't socialize."

"You're not exactly the conventional Sith though, are you?" she asked sliding into the speeder next to him.

"I'm beginning to regret ever telling you that," he said annoyed as he drove to the holomovie theater. He was familiar with its location as he found himself begged into taking Leia and her friends there on many occasions when he was home during her breaks from school.

"I haven't been to a movie in a while," Ahsoka commented.

"You go to movies?" Vader asked her sounding bored.

"With Leia occasionally, but she hates going to movies with me," Ahsoka admitted.

"Why?"

"Because I don't like any of them," Ahsoka said sighing.

"Then why are we here?" Vader asked.

"To see if I can actually find something I like without having to rule half the movies out because of Leia," Ahsoka said not even glancing at the ads for anything that was rated below mature.

Vader could actually care less what she chose to see. He had never been too big on holomovies either and he never understood why Leia enjoyed going so much. She finally picked one, a war horror if it could be called that. Inside the theater thirty minutes later, she stared at it seemingly bored at the picture, not even batting an eye at some of the horrific gory scenes and actions.

He couldn't help but mention it to her and then she very calmly, a little too calmly for Vader's liking, said, "This stuff is sugarcoated."

"Sugarcoated?" Vader asked.

"When you fought in a war that was much more gruesome and bloodier than this, there isn't a movie in existence that can make me flinch or bat an eye," Ahsoka said and then sighed. "It's why Leia hates coming to the movies with me."

Suddenly it occurred to Vader that Ahsoka was severely emotionally scarred by the events of the clone wars and it took going to a movie with her to see it. He casually compared her to another woman in the audience that he guessed was around her age (a feat easier said than done because if he went on looks, Ahsoka looked six or seven years younger than her thirty standard years). In comparison, Ahsoka looked like she was watching the flowers grown rather than a movie. He had never pondered the effects fighting a war had on a teenage girl. If he had to diagnose it, he'd say she had been emotionally stunted in some respects. And she said he was anti-social. Deep down, she was probably about as bad as he was sometimes… on some levels.

Or maybe worse, he decided later when it appeared Ahsoka was more amused at the movie than anything. It seemed Ahsoka was horrified at her own lack of sympathy for the characters in the movie though and so she abruptly suggested they leave and head to dinner instead. She drove, being that she knew where it was and he didn't.

It was a good location on Tamara's part. People were there, but it wasn't crowded because surely Vader would get irritated in that kind of setting. He always attracted some kind of trouble. It was funny to Ahsoka. One would think that it would be common sense to leave a man that was almost two meters tall and in some obvious shape alone.

When the waitress came by, Vader ordered some alcoholic drink that Ahsoka had never heard of. She however, simply ordered a fruit drink. The waitress started to leave but Vader, who was looking at Ahsoka oddly, stopped her.

"Wait," he said to her and then looked at Ahsoka. "And you call me anti-social."

"Because you are."

"No alcohol?" he asked.

"I've never drank before and I don't plan to start now," Ahsoka replied simply.

Vader raised an eyebrow at her. "Really?"

"I joke about a lot of things Anakin but this isn't one of them."

"Why not?"

"Leia," was all Ahsoka said and Vader got the point. Ahsoka really had dedicated her entire life to taking care of the girl. Tamara had been right. She did need to get out.

"First time for everything," he said to her and Ahsoka swore she saw him smile as he told the waitress to give her the same thing he had.

"Why did you do that?" she asked.

"How are you supposed to relax if all you're going to drink is a juice? Tamara said adult fun," Vader reminded.

"I'm going to make you eat your words later," Ahsoka said to him.

Vader had no doubt that she would. But he was enjoying messing with her. He had always enjoyed getting under her skin. She stared oddly at the drink when the waitress placed it in front of her. Vader chuckled.

"You act as though any minute now your mother is going to jump out and get on you for drinking. It's legal now. You're way past the age limit," he pointed out.

"You make me sound old," Ahsoka said scowling as she took a sip of the drink. She shrugged. "Not bad."

"You've really never tasted it?" Vader asked.

"When would I have had the time?" Ahsoka asked. "I was fighting a war most of my teenage years and taking care of Leia the rest."

Vader suddenly remembered his observations in the holomovie, how detached and almost amused she seemed, in essence saying that it was a bad rendition of what really happened in wartime. He had never really thought about how much Ahsoka had lost as a result of the war. He had it hard as a padawan under the jedi, feeling unwelcomed and restricted, but he was allowed some freedoms as a teenager. It made him wonder…

"I never thought about how much you've given up. You've never really had a life, have you?" he asked.

"That's because you're always so caught up in your own problems and think you've had an experience no one understands, that you never notice what other people go through," Ahsoka pointed out and then shrugged. "I was accustomed to it. Being a jedi was all about selflessness and sacrifice."

"I'm well aware of that. More than I would like to be for that matter. But it still doesn't mean you never missed out on things… Saw things you shouldn't have," Vader pointed out.

Ahsoka sighed. She never really thought too much about the war and to tell the truth she never really thought too much about her days as a jedi even though she still claimed that name. In that respect, the fact that she too tried to avoid her past, she and Vader were alike. The movie had brought all those suppressed memories and battles back which was why she had laughed at it. Those writers didn't know war and suffering.

"We were at war. Of course I saw things no one should have seen, at least not at seventeen years old," Ahsoka said sighing. "And of course I missed out on things. I was a Jedi."

"But you missed out on things that the Jedi gave teenage padawans the liberty to do because of the war," Vader pointed out and the added, "Sometimes I wonder if you were ever really meant to be a Jedi though."

"If this is your way of trying to get me to become your sith apprentice or something and take down the emperor. You can forget it," Ahsoka said sharply.

Vader rolled his eyes. "I'm not trying to. I'm just pointing out that you're not too different from me as you think. Deep down, you really do resent the Jedi for taking you and not giving you a choice to have the things I know you wanted."

"How would you know?"

"Padmé used to worry about you," Vader said simply surprising Ahsoka when he said his dead wife's name. "She told me some of the things you all talked about. You were very open with her."

Ahsoka was silent. She'd never tell him he was right. "Even if I did, it doesn't mean I would have destroyed the entire order for it. I just would have left."

"Would you have really?"

"Padmé started to become more important to me than any order because I got something I never could from the jedi in her," Ahsoka muttered.

"And what's that?"

"The same thing you saw in her," Ahsoka muttered as she played with her drink.

"Then why did you blame me?" Vader asked.

He didn't elaborate and he really didn't need to. Ahsoka could still read him like a book which was why she sometimes was confused about if Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were really two different people like the jedi had assumed they were. Vader held back a laugh. If Ahsoka knew he knew exactly what she was doing when she would stare at him in confusion over something he had done, she'd never let herself live it down. Just because he never pointed it out didn't mean he never noticed it.

"Truth is," Ahsoka said finally, "I never did. I always understood it in a way, even though I never agreed with it."

"Then why-?"

"Because it meant I was more like you than I wanted to admit," Ahsoka said and didn't say another word on the matter as she abruptly changed the subject.

But only half an hour later and they were back to a subject Ahsoka wasn't comfortable with and they got to it talking about it when Vader asked about how Leia had been doing.

"She's grown up," Vader muttered, "Sometimes I feel guilty, like I'm the father who shows up whenever it's a convenience to do so."

"You're far from being that kind of father. You're as involved as you can be with Leia. You've done everything for her," Ahsoka pointed out.

"Still, I feel like I've missed so much."

"Be glad you don't have to be here to deal with her questions and wondering about how she's changing," Ahsoka said rolling her eyes.

That snapped Vader out of his solemn mood as he stared Ahsoka down with a no nonsense expression

"Since when has she been asking that?" Vader asked.

"Since she had her period and realized the boys liked to look at girls' chest," Ahsoka muttered.

"I thought we'd gotten past that hurdle…"

"The period? She didn't freak out over it if that's what you mean."

"Not that," Vader said scowling. "I'd prefer not to know."

"She's your daughter. It's no big deal," Ahsoka said with a smile. "But if that wasn't it. What were you talking about?"

"The boy thing," Vader said darkly.

"You are not going into that school and threatening the whole male population to stay away from her, especially after you almost ruined her first date," Ahsoka said already knowing where this was going.

"You won't stop me if I decide to," said Vader. "What did she want to know?"

"A lot of things. She asked about love, marriage, sex," Ahsoka explained.

"Sex?" Vader asked alarmed.

"She's thirteen," said Ahsoka in a pointed tone. "I had to tell her, better from me than from someone trying to take advantage of her innocence."

Vader grudgingly had to admit that she was right. But it was hard to believe that Leia was growing up so quickly. Soon she'd want to get married and have her own children. Vader held back a groan. He didn't even want to think about that. He'd just put on his suit and scare the living daylights out of whoever it was before taking sadistic pleasure in cutting off all his fingers and toes one by one, then his arm and legs, and lastly finishing him off with a force choke.

"She asked me if a person had to be in love to have a physical relationship."

"What did you tell her?" Vader demanded.

Ahsoka wouldn't look at him again. "I told her what Padmé would have wanted me to tell her, that it was best to have it all in one package. But some people rather just have the physical and that wasn't healthy because someone always gets hurt."

Vader let out a sigh of relief until Ahsoka said, "I think she's inclined not to believe me though. It was only until I told her that her mother firmly believed in that that she seemed to wrap her mind around the idea."

"Why wouldn't she believe you though if you said it?" Vader asked not catching on to what Ahsoka was trying to imply.

"She was really contemplative after that…" Ahsoka said still not looking at Vader, instead interested in the food she had ordered.

"Contemplative?"

"Contemplative about what I told her. At first I thought she was considering doing something stupid like asking a boy to kiss her or something until I realized she thought I was being a little hypocritical I guess," Ahsoka said hoping Vader would get it.

He didn't and he wished she would stop dancing around whatever it was she wanted to say.

"Hypocritical about what?" Vader asked.

Ahsoka finally turned to look at him, blue eyes filled with guilt and a tinge of shame. Vader instantly understood.

"I don't think she likes where our relationship stands," Ahsoka added.

"Did she tell you that?"

"She doesn't have to."

Vader wished he had probably stayed and dealt with his frustration of Obi-wan getting away that deal with this. If course Leia would see the contradiction between what Ahsoka told her and what she was doing. Leia practically saw Ahsoka as her mother in everything but name. When Vader pointed that out, Ahsoka scowled.

"I wish she didn't. Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to stand in Padmé's place. I have no right. I feel like I'm betraying her enough as it is," Ahsoka muttered.

"It can't be helped. You're the only female figure Leia has known since she was born. She doesn't even know her mother except from what you tell her."

"I know it can't be helped. That's why I rather keep the emotions and commitment out of it. No one will get hurt in the end. Not even Padmé," Ahsoka explained. "In that aspect, I'm grateful to the jedi for teaching us how not to be attached."

It took a while for Vader to figure out what she meant, but then he realized she was talking about them. He never knew it ran deeper than the fact that he was a Sith and she was a Jedi. She did a good job of hiding it. Now he always knew why she was always reluctant to go further.

"It's better that way," Vader finally agreed or at least, he tried to partially convince himself that that was so.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Suicidal kriffing Sith Lord," Ahsoka said as she came in the house.

Vader followed behind feeling a smug satisfaction at having successfully gotten under Ahsoka's skin. It had all started when she commented on his reckless driving to which he said his driving was perfectly safe. Then she mentioned that of that was his definition of safe, she'd love to see his definition of dangerous. Vader knew she was being sarcastic and she probably hadn't even intended on him to hear her, but he couldn't help irritating her. It was what he did.

"That was hardly suicidal. I used to podrace. That was suicidal," Vader said to her.

"And that's coming out of the mouth of the insane Sith Lord," she pointed out kicking off her shoes as she sat on the couch. "I needed that. I feel better."

Vader was silent for a moment. "I must admit. I might have enjoyed your company for once."

Ahsoka looked at him with a smirk. "I'm sorry. Did you just admit to having fun?"

"Don't push it," Vader warned as he looked at her lying down on the couch. She seemed so inviting.

Ahsoka noticed his stare and rolled her eyes. "What are you staring at me like that for?" she asked although she knew very well why he was staring at her.

Vader contemplated leaving her alone for the night and it wasn't from lack of wanting her. It was the complete opposite. Sure they had a physical relationship, but there was a line that they just didn't cross when it came to each other. But Vader had never been one to follow restrictions when it came to certain things and it was proving hard to stay behind the line they had established.

Noticing his conflict in the force, Ahsoka sat up.

"What's wrong?"

He never said as he crossed the room and got on top of her pulling her into a kiss. Ahsoka was surprised at the vigor and aggression with which he came onto her but eagerly returned his advances. She would be a fool if she tried to deny that she had the same desire he had. The desire had never been stronger. But this had to stop. They couldn't… And she stopped him just as he started to slip his hand under her skirt.

She pulled away and leaned her head back closing her eyes.

"No," she said.

Vader couldn't say he hadn't been expecting this reaction from her.

"Why?" he asked despite it. Just because he wasn't surprised didn't mean he understood.

"I told you why. I can't betray her like this," Ahsoka said. "She was my best friend."

Vader didn't say anything having a feeling that Ahsoka wasn't finished.

"She knew I wanted you, you know," she continued. "And she had full faith that I would never betray her like that. She had full faith in both of us."

Ahsoka shook her head again. "I can't."

With that, she pushed Vader the rest of the way off of her and headed up the stairs to her room. But Vader wasn't letting her get away that easy. He followed her and heard her footsteps quicken as she rushed into her room and closed the door locking it.

"Very mature," Vader said to her through the door.

Ahsoka didn't respond and Vader resorted to using the force to open the door.

"Get out," she snapped looking through her drawers for something to put on.

"No."

"What do you want?" Ahsoka then snapped.

"You already know," Vader said coming up behind her and playing with her back head tail.

"I just told you-."

"I know what you told me, but that doesn't mean I understand it."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Trust in you to make everything difficult."

"Strange, I was thinking a similar thing about you."

Ahsoka paused before starting to reply until she noticed Vader was still playing with her head tail.

"Stop doing that," she said pulling it way from him and then asked, "Do you see me as a replacement for Padmé?"

"A replacement?"

"Need the definition?" Ahsoka asked dryly before adding, "Because if that's what it is, I won't betray her memory that way."

Betraying her memory. Vader had never thought about it in the way Ahsoka was. If it had been him that died and Padmé was the one alive (which to be honest that's what he had always thought would happen before his nightmares), would he have wanted her to pursue another relationship?

He scowled. Probably not. He would haunt the poor man from the dead. But the real question he guessed was would he want her to be happy even if that meant her possibly marrying another man? He would probably grudgingly accept it. There wasn't much he could do dead. But he would be perfectly angry if the person was just a replacement. Now he understood what Ahsoka meant.

Ahsoka turned to look at him expectantly.

"If you were her replacement I don't think I would have been so upset over her death. Besides, if I wanted a replacement, I'd go find one of her old handmaidens. They were trained to act like her, look like her, and think like her."

"You still haven't answered my question," Ahsoka said but with much less malice than before.

Finally he said, "My point is you're something else entirely."

"Should I be insulted or flattered?" she asked and then sighed before crossing the room. "So what do you want from me then. We both know we have way too many philosophical differences. We're barely civil."

Vader actually thought that they pretty much thought the same if their earlier conversation that night was anything to go by. Over the years, the Jedi principals that Ahsoka had solidly stood on had eroded and it was only a matter of time before she completely accept the dark side and began looking at it from his point of view. Telling her that though would only make her angry.

"We're not as different as you think," he settled on saying.

"What do you mean?" Ahsoka asked taking a step back as he closed in on her personal space.

She was so easy to rattle at least for him. Even as a teenager it only took a meaningful glare and a sentence to shake her when she knew he meant business. If she had a weakness and he knew she did, it was him.

"We both want the same things. Why don't you stop denying it? I can feel your longing, your desire…" he said tracing her face markings and sensing her intent to lash out at him added, "And you try to hide it by being aggressive. But let's face it Ahsoka, you've never been able to fool me."

And any of Ahsoka's resolve and stubbornness that was left crumbled. The paparazzi would have loved it. She had just been successfully seduced by Darth Vader.

"Yes you were," Vader said hearing her last thought and capturing her lips to his as they fell on her bed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** Now use your imagination. I remember saying before I posted this I don't do lemons and I don't plan to start. So you all are welcome to think of it or write it yourself for all I care. This ending was vastly different from the original ending and in fact, this whole chapter went through a massive revision just this morning before posting…

Anywho check out that story I mentioned in my first note if you're interested and believe me, it'll be worth your while if you do.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	14. Chapter 14

**AN:** It's late. I know. But blame it on my dad and his impromptu decision to go to Atlanta to do something and my grandmother has no internet still! Then I had to get back for my PE class and had no time to put this up. No comment. I'm burnt out from our interval training workout.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Fourteen**

Something was amiss, Leia concluded when she got home the following day. It was the weekend after all and she was eager to have her dad help her make some adjustments on her swoop bike while she pried out of him what she and Ahsoka had done on their 'date' at least until she went to the movies with Abdul and Lana. But where was her dad and where was Ahsoka? She tiptoed up the stairs and saw that her father's room door was open meaning he wasn't in there. He must be in the back yard. But since she was already up the stairs, she may as well try to talk to Ahsoka.

She knocked on the door and at first no one answered although she heard walking in the room. She started to just open the door when it opened on its own and her father came out, closing the door behind him.

Leia took in his appearance. He seemed a little disheveled, like he had just gotten out of bed and hurriedly threw on something when he sensed her

"Morning princess," Vader said noting his daughter's apparent confusion.

"Morning daddy," she said slowly. There was something wrong about this… "Why were you in Ahsoka's room?"

"Just checking on her," Vader said following his daughter down the steps.

Leia's eyebrows shot up into her hair. Sure her dad cared about Ahsoka more than he let on, but even so, he never physically went to check on her unless he needed something.

"You're lying," she said. "Where is she?"

"Asleep. She was a little tired after last night," Vader said… Well that wasn't a lie.

"What did you go do?" Leia asked continuing to probe.

"Out to dinner and a movie."

"And what did you do after that that has her so tired?" Leia asked not backing down.

"Just like your mother…" Vader said at the girl's prying. She was too smart for her own good and darn near impossible to fool.

Leia crossed her arms and started to say something until it dawned on her that this reminded her of one of the sappy romances she had watched with Lana at some point. Her dad had come out of Ahsoka's room, he looked all disheveled and his presence was oddly lighter.

"On second thought. Keep it to yourself…" she muttered.

"What do you mean by that?" Vader asked curiously.

"I'm a big girl, Daddy," Leia said dryly. "And I don't want to know the details."

Vader couldn't exactly say he was surprised. Leia had always been perceptive. Of course she would call him out on what he and Ahsoka had done when she figured it out. There wasn't much Leia shied away from in the way of conversation.

"And how do feel about it?"

Leia shrugged as she put on a piece of toast. "What do I have to say about it? It's none of my business and believe me I don't want it to be…"

Vader scowled. "Somehow I'm not so sure. I have the feeling you've been trying to set us up for a long time."

Leia shrugged. "True. And I've had limited success," she said.

"What do you mean?"

Leia smirked, and looked down at her jelly toast as she took a seat at the table

Vader scowled. "Leia Skywalker…" he said.

"Let's just say as soon as Ahsoka told me that to have a physical relationship you don't have to be married or in love, I thought about you two. A bit hypocritical to tell me one thing and do another," Leia practically sang. If Vader didn't know any better, he'd say she thought it was funny, as thought she knew something they didn't.

Vader sighed. "It's complicated…"

"Oh I know," Leia assured. "Right out of a holonet drama complicated."

Vader didn't like the analogy. Those things gave him a headache. Leia was very much exaggerating. No one had that much drama in their lives. He started to ask her since when did she watch that kind of mindless entertainment but decided it was conversation for another time.

"Still," Vader began.

"Don't worry. I know. Get married, then sex and do it out of love. But don't blame me if it doesn't happen in that order because I'm following by example," Leia said to him.

That was it. Leia's presence felt a little too smug for Vader's liking, and he knew she was having more of a hand in something than she was letting on.

"What did you do?" he asked. "You're been manipulating and planning something for a long time and I want to know what it is."

"Perfect characteristics of a future Sith Lady. Don't you think?" Leia asked smugly rocking her head from side to side as though dancing to song.

"That's it. Until you decide to spill, you're-."

"Good morning," Ahsoka said coming into the room tiredly.

"Morning Ahsoka," Leia said with a mischievous smirk. "What's got you so-?"

_Leia._

Even Leia knew when to quit while she was ahead and instead of sticking around, she got up, taking a piece of toast before saying, "Me, Abdul, and Lana are going to the movies. Can I take a speeder?"

"No," both Vader and Ahsoka said.

Leia groaned. "Fine. We'll get Lana's mother to take us."

With that, she left the house before her father could make her come back. Vader mumbled in huttese under his breath, not escaping Ahsoka's notice.

"What are you fussing about?" she asked.

"My conniving, manipulative teenager daughter," Vader said.

"Why? What did she say?"

"She asked why I was in your room."

Ahsoka sat up pulling Leia's mostly untouched breakfast to her. "And what did you tell her?"

"I told her I was checking on you. She didn't believe me and figured it out. We weren't actually done talking. She used your entrance as an excuse to get away," Vader said grudgingly.

Ahsoka hummed a little and was silent for a moment, something that Ahsoka usually was not. Vader sat across from her in curiosity at her obviously solemn mood as she summoned the coffee from its place in the cabinet and used the force to measure it and get the machine stared.

"You hate coffee," Vader pointed out.

"I need it this morning," she said summoning the coffee and a mug while stopping the machine before it had even finished making the whole pot.

"What's wrong?" he asked her positive something was wrong with her if she was drinking coffee. He paid enough attention to her to know she never drank it.

"Nothing," Ahsoka said staring at the murky liquid.

"You regret it don't you?" he asked. "Last night I mean."

To his surprise and relief, though he'd never admit it, she quickly shook her head.

"No. Not at all," she said honestly. "Just… I do worry about what Leia thinks of all this. She says one thing, but sometimes I think she's not telling something."

"You and me both," Vader muttered wishing he had been able to get more out of his daughter than he had. Even if she had the makings of a Sith Lady, Leia was not going to use those tricks on him.

"Where does this leave us now then?" Ahsoka asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Making out like teenager is one thing," Ahsoka said bluntly which just went to show how comfortable she was around Vader, even though they hardly ever completely agreed on anything. "Sex is another."

"I thought I was the one who got straight to the point," he pointed out and Ahsoka looked at him in exasperation.

His reply was simple. "You're the one who said keeping the emotions out of it was better."

"I'm just making sure you're on the same page," Ahsoka said raising her eyebrows. "But I know you. You're an emotional person. You can't help it."

Vader looked at her mirroring her expression. "So are you when it comes to some things."

The question was unspoken between them. Just how long would they be able to keep the emotion out of all this? It was difficult enough as it was as both of them knew there wasn't a lack of emotion. They were just suppressing them, denying them. It was a question neither of them had an answer to and to be quite honest, it was something neither of them wanted to face. Emotion and passion was what had driven Vader to the dark side and what had practically driven them apart.

So instead of addressing the issue at all, Vader said, "I have to leave today."

"So soon?" Ahsoka asked looking up to meet his eyes.

Vader chose to ignore the flicker of sadness he saw in them.

"I'm not even supposed to be here. I ran from my mission. No doubt the emperor isn't pleased with me and I better get back to him before he becomes impatient and looks for me. I don't want to lead him here. Better to go face the music than delay it," he explained.

Ahsoka was silent for a while before saying, "I don't understand why you chose to take that kind of abuse from him. You're more powerful than him. You could defeat him and take over the empire."

Vader chose not to point out that years ago, she would have said he could kill the emperor walk away from it all and go into hiding with his daughter and abandon the empire and the dark side completely. Let freedom and democracy resume. It's what Padmé would have said.

"The emperor has many allies and it would be different if I tried and failed by myself. But I have too much at stake. I'd die if something happened to Leia… or you," he added under his breath. "He'd find a way to find my weakness even if he couldn't physically defeat me. I can't take that risk."

"You're right. And even if he wouldn't be able to find us, Leia and I would be lost without you…"

They both knew that their statements were about as close as they were going to get to letting on that they both meant more to each other than the physical feel good and comfort they got from each other. And that was enough. It made things easier.

"Let's not talk about those things," Vader said. "We've got a while before Leia comes back and I have to leave. We should make the most of it."

Ahsoka smirked. "Talk about eager. How long has it been milord?" she teased.

"Shut up," Vader said getting up and pulling her from her chair. "We have a long few hours ahead of us."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Both Lana and Abdul choked on popcorn while Leia calmly continued to watch the previews after her explanation.

"What did you just say?" Lana said in disbelief.

Leia started to say it again but Abdul put his hands on his ears.

"No way," he said loudly. "I don't need to hear that. I'm scarred for life. How could you even say that so casually about Ahsoka and your dad?"

Abdul received a glare from the people in front of the trio and he sank down in his chair.

"Sorry," he said and then turned his attention back to Leia. "But how do you know for sure?"

"My dad didn't deny it when I figured it out," Leia said dryly.

"You told your dad," Abdul asked with what he was starting to belief would be a permanent expression of shock at his best friend. Just when he thought he had Leia figured out, she did something to shock him again. She never failed to amaze him.

"I caught him coming out of her room and asked what he was doing. Then I saw the way he looked and figured it out. He was right there and I was asking questions so of course he knew I figured it out," Leia said calmly.

"But?" Lana asked.

"They're still in denial," Leia said slowly as a confused look passed over her face. "But I'm not as upset about it as before."

"Why?" Abdul asked not understanding her. "You were just complaining about this yesterday and now you're fine with it."

Leia bit her lip trying to see how she'd explain it. "No… Not really. I just… I don't know. I'm confused about it myself. But something's changed. Something major…"

"No kidding," Lana muttered.

"I'm serious," Leia said firmly. "Something happened, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Oh I get it," Abdul said. "It's a force thing."

"Don't announce it to the whole world!" Leia whispered harshly.

"But it is isn't it?" Lana asked.

"Yeah… But it's not bad. It's just I have this feeling…" Leia continued shaking her head.

"Well we can talk about this feeling later. I paid six credits to get into this and I'm going to watch it," Abdul said turning his attention back to the movie.

Leia settled into her seat and watched the movie. Her two best friends just didn't get it and she guessed they never would completely understand her force powers. She still had a feeling. Something had changed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** Yeah it was short and don't ask me how a lot of this chapter came out in Leia's point of view and excuse anything I missed when I checked this chapter. I'm going to sleep.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please! (Falls out on bed)


	15. Chapter 15

**AN:** Okay… So this is an interesting chapter and I have to wonder how my cliffy chapters always happen on the weekend. Tell you what? If I'm motivated enough, I'll post the next chapter up tomorrow. In fact, if I get twelve reviews today and it's not too late, I'll post the next chapter as soon as it hits that number. One review a person. No doubles. Besides, if that happens, the last chapter will be posted next Friday instead of next Monday. It's all up to you. Personally, I'm usually as anxious to post a chapter as you are to read them. But I've stayed true to my word this time. I leave it in your hands and believe me, you won't want to wait until Monday for the next chapter.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Fifteen**

Ahsoka just knew something was amiss when Leia came stomping into the house one day, her frustration practically on fire in the force. Ahsoka got up from where she was beneath the tree in the backyard trying to meditate (but only succeeding in dozing off). She was mildly surprised when she saw that Leia wasn't in the kitchen looking for her per usual after she came home from school, if she came home at all nowadays, at least not early. She had turned fourteen a month ago (another birthday Vader was forced to miss more to Ahsoka's disappointment than Leia's if she were truthful) and in conjunction with that, she had begun high school. It had opened up a whole new world of activity for the girl. There were clubs to choose from, after school activities, and to Leia's delight, an advanced politics elective.

However, most of the time Ahsoka knew she was with Abdul and Lana after she was done with school and on some days, she didn't see the girl until it was well into the evening. But this was early. It was barely seventeen hundred.

"Leia," Ahsoka said slowly making her way up the stairs to Leia's closed room door.

When Leia didn't answer, Ahsoka used the force to open the door. Leia wasn't in her room per say, but Ahsoka heard the water running in the bathroom and knocked on the door.

"Leia, are you okay. I heard you come into the house earlier," Ahsoka said.

"I'm fine…" she said.

"You don't sound like it and you don't feel alright through the force."

Leia groaned. "Come in. You're going to find out anyway."

Ahsoka opened the door and reared back at the sight before her. Leia was a mess to put it lightly. Her hair was a mess, the ponytail she had put it in earlier loosened. She had dirt all over her clothes and most prominently, her cheek was bruised.

"What happened?" she asked trying to keep her anger to a minimum. "Who did this to you? Who attacked you?"

"Relax," Leia said sighing. "I didn't get attacked. I just got into a fight with the new boy at school."

"And why was he messing with you?"

Leia looked around sheepishly. "Actually, he wasn't really messing with me. In fact we were getting along at first because he had a swoop bike that he specially modifies on his own like I do mine. So of course we got to talking and I invited him to come hang out with some friends. Then we got to talking about speeders and engines and I told how I was the best racer in school and he rolled his eyes. So I challenged him to a race since he thought I was joking."

"And?" Ahsoka asked.

"He beat me," Leia grudgingly admitted.

Ahsoka looked at her tiredly. "So you lost."

"I accused him of cheating because no one can beat me. It's just not possible…" Leia whispered trailing off in disbelief.

"Well humility certainly isn't your best characteristic," Ahsoka joked.

Leia growled. "That's what he said."

"You didn't steal it," Ahsoka assured with a smile.

Leia cracked a smiled and Ahsoka urged her to continue.

"He denied cheating and said I was acting like an arrogant spoiled brat and that he won fair and square," Leia continued… "Then he started to scold me like some old monk or something. It sounded a little like those Jedi proverbs you use on me. So I got tired of him talking and punched him."

"So you started the fight?" Ahsoka asked pinching the bridge of her nose.

Leia didn't reply.

"And who pulled you apart?" Ahsoka asked not needing the girl to reply.

"No one. He pulled on my ponytail and punched me in the cheek to get off of him, got on his swoop and went home," Leia muttered. "Then I came home."

"It sounds like he didn't want to fight you," Ahsoka pointed out as she grabbed the clot from Leia's hand and began to clean her cheek.

"Coward," Leia muttered.

"You've got too much pride for your own good and you're always ready to fight when someone wounds it. You know that?" Ahsoka asked her. "And you get it all from your dad."

"I get a lot from my dad. Is there anything I get from my mother?"

"Your looks, knack for politics, stubbornness, determination-although it can be said you got those characteristics from both your parents-, and your argumentative spirit. Need I go on?"

"No. It's just good to know," Leia muttered

Ahsoka sighed as she reached into the first aid kit and rubbed some bacta cream on Leia's cheek.

"Your dad's going to love to hear this one," Ahsoka said trying not to laugh.

"You sure you want to do that?" Leia asked warily.

"Why?"

"Because he won't care who started the fight, just that a boy punched me in the face," Leia said knowingly.

"It was your fault," Ahsoka said.

"You know dad. He's not going to hear that. Remember my disaster date last year?" Leia replied and Ahsoka laughed at the memory.

Ahsoka had actually been hoping that Vader wouldn't decided to come during the week of Leia's 'date'. But of course, the force had a wicked sense of humor and Vader came the day before. Leia never thought there would be a time where she wanted her father off planet… She took that back after her date.

"Besides," Leia added snapping Ahsoka out her thoughts. "I wouldn't do that to him. He's a nice guy. I just… overreacted a little."

"You think?" Ahsoka said and fanned her nose of the smell of the bacta cream. It was churning her stomach, probably because she hadn't used it in a while. "You know what you have to do right?"

Leia groaned. "Do I have to?"

"You were wrong," Ahsoka said putting up the kit.

"And we all know it. Why does he have to hear it from me?"

Ahsoka gave the girl an exasperated and tired look.

"Don't make me argue with you princess," she said tiredly as she gripped the counter to shake off a little lightheadedness.

Leia looked at Ahsoka in concern, her dismay at having to apologize forgotten.

"Ahsoka. Are you okay? You looked tired," she said.

"I'm fine Leia. I think I'll just go take a little nap. I chalk it up to old age," Ahsoka said with a smile. "You're getting too old for me to be chasing after all day."

Leia sighed. "Sorry…"

"No you're not," said Ahsoka as she went out the room starting to head to her room before the doorbell rang. It couldn't have been Lana and Abdul. They usually just let themselves in the house.

She made her way down the stairs and opened the door to see a boy around Leia's age with dark blond hair staring down at his feet as he shuffled them nervously.

"Hi," he said.

Ahsoka looked at him confused. "Hi. Who are you?"

The boy looked up at him with startling green eyes and sporting a busted lip… Ahsoka almost laughed. So this was the boy Leia had fought.

"My name's Ben. I'm looking for Leia. She lives here right?" he asked.

"How'd you find out?" Ahsoka asked wearily.

"One of her friends told me," he said.

Ahsoka stepped aside and let him in and Leia came down the steps a distinct scowl on her face. Ahsoka guessed she had memorized his presence.

"What?" she asked.

Ahsoka gave her a pleading look, but to his surprise the boy wasn't at all intimidated by Leia's attitude.

"I just came by to apologize…" he said. "For punching you. I really didn't mean to. I was just trying to make you get off of me."

Leia crossed her arms and looked down. "Whatever. It's no big deal. I shouldn't have started the fight anyway, even if you did cheat."

Ben glared at her. "I didn't cheat. I told you I was good."

"Still…" Leia muttered and then felt Ahsoka's eyes on her. "I apologized. Why do you keep looking at me?"

Ahsoka shook her head, but to her surprise, Ben laughed.

"So your guardian had to put you up to apologizing too?" he asked.

Leia looked at him a grin on her face. "You mean your uncle made you come all the way over here to apologize for something that wasn't even your fault?"

"I know right?" Ben said rolling his eyes. "But when he found out I punched you he said I should have restrained myself even if it was in defense."

"And I thought Ahsoka was crazy," Leia muttered. "Sounds like something she would say though."

Ahsoka sighed as she looked at the boy. She was quite amazed at the two.

"If there's anything Leia can do to make up for her… impulsiveness, let us know," she offered.

Ben smiled sheepishly. "Actually, I'd be willing to let bygones be bygones if she showed me this garage and her dad's speeder and ship collection she was talking about."

Leia grinned. "Come on. It's this way. I bet you've never seen a speeder collection like this. Not even in the magazines."

"Do you always brag this much?" was the last thing Ahsoka heard from them as they went into the garage.

Ahsoka briefly contemplated going to take a nap but instead figured she better keep an eye on the two teens. Ben and Leia seemed to be kindred spirits, meaning the two were bound to get into trouble unsupervised.

"Wow… You all must be rich. Some of this stuff hasn't even been released yet," Ben said in amazement.

"Some of these aren't going to be released at all. The one you're looking at is custom designed," Leia said.

"I can tell. No fancy cuts and sharp designs that will reduce speed," Ben said.

"It's the smoothest ride you'll ever have," Leia said and led him over to the engine.

"What does your dad do? Where is he?"

"He works for the fleet so he's always off planet," Leia explained. "The last time he was here was four and a half months ago."

"He's always away that long?" Ben asked.

"It can't be helped," Leia said sighing.

Ahsoka found herself sighing at the comment. Vader had told her when he left he would have to be away for at least a year because of his impromptu departure in the middle of a mission. If she were honest with herself, she'd admit she missed him some. But that would be getting emotional about it.

"Well," Ben said. "At least you have a dad. My dad died before I was born."

Leia looked at him with sympathetic eyes.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I never knew him," Ben said. "But that's alright. I've been with my uncle since."

"What about your mother?" Leia asked.

"Died in childbirth," Ben replied and then looked at her. "What about your mother?"

"Died after I was born. She thought my dad was dead and didn't want to live. Or that's what Ahsoka told me," Leia said looking at her guardian who had dozed off and was sleep. She laughed.

"Is she okay?" Ben asked looking at her as well.

"She's been a little depressed since my dad left. I think it's stressing her a little," Leia pointed out.

"So her and your dad are…" Ben trailed off.

Leia sighed and shook her head. "It's complicated."

"How complicated?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Leia muttered.

From behind one of the speeders came Artoo and Threepio. Artoo went up to Leia and began to talk to her.

"It's over there on the work table. But what's wrong with that speeder?"

Artoo replied as he grabbed a tool off the table.

"It's not a speeder? It's a one man shuttle? I could take it in space?" Leia asked eagerly.

Artoo's response was a dry warning.

"I know. I know… I'm not dumb enough to pull something like that again. Dad might literally kill me," Leia muttered.

Ben looked at her surprised. "You understand binary?"

"I don't know. Artoo's been in my family since my dad was a kid," Leia said. "So of course I understand him."

"I wasn't aware you had company Miss Leia. I wasn't even aware you'd be back so soon… I'll prepare you and your friend something to eat," Threepio said and Leia looked up to reply when he saw her cheek. "Oh my Miss Leia. What happened?"

"Got into a fight with him," Leia said nodding her head towards Ben. "He throws a nice jab."

Threepio looked confused and seemed to want to ask something before shaking her head.

"I'll never understand the behavior of humans," he said going into the house.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leia's gentle voice shook Ahsoka out of her slumber. She opened her eyes and looked at Leia sleepily.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. But you've been out here for a while. You must have been tired," Leia said to her.

Ahsoka stood up and stretched. "How long?"

"Two hours," Leia said. "Give or take a few minutes…"

Ahsoka blinked. "I must have been tired."

"You need a vacation," Leia said to her.

Ahsoka stepped into the kitchen and reached into the fridge for something to eat. Leia noticed her grab and cup of yogurt and a spoon out the draw which made her raise her eyebrows. Ahsoka generally hated dairy products except for the occasional bowl of ice cream. But given that there was nothing else sweet she guessed Ahsoka was making due. Then again, her guardian's appetite had been weird since her dad left. If this wasn't some kind of depression, Leia didn't know what it was.

"Is Ben gone?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yeah. His uncle called and wanted him home. Apparently, he's learning some kind of martial arts from him."

"Looks like you were having a good time," Ahsoka commented.

"It's weird," Leia said shaking her head. "I feel like I've met him somewhere before but I can't pinpoint it."

"You must have seen him around the planet before then."

"No. He says he and his uncle just moved here," Leia said carefully watching Ahsoka who sat down with a sigh and a distant expression on her face. Leia smiled sadly and said, "You miss dad don't you?"

Ahsoka looked up from her yogurt. "What makes you say that?"

"You act depressed," Leia said. "You've been lazying around and tired since he left. That's not like you."

Ahsoka shrugged.

Leia looked at the woman who was practically her mother in every sense of the word except name. This acting indifferent to each other was killing them now. It was only so long they could keep it up. Leia had no force training, but she was naturally empathetic because of it and could even read Ahsoka and her father's most private and shielded emotions. When she was little getting them together was just for the sake of having a mother and father. Now, it was about their happiness. They would never admit it, but they would be miserable without each other.

"Next time dad is here, you two really need to sort this out," Leia said softly as she slowly turned around to leave.

Ahsoka sighed when she left. "Scolded by a fourteen year old," she muttered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What took you so long Luke?"

"Lost track of time," Luke said when he got back to his and Obi-wan's small house and then reached up to take out the contact lenses in his eyes.. "Ugh… I hate these things. They make my eyes dry…"

"Lost track of time?"

"I'm sorry. After we both apologized she showed me her dad's speeder collection and that actually didn't take long. Only twenty minutes. But until you called we were eating dinner and talking at the table. It's really weird Ben."

"Why?" Obi-wan asked as Luke got ready to practice in the living room with his light saber.

"I felt like I had known her my whole life. I've never clicked with someone like that before," Luke said and Obi-wan smirked.

"You like her then. Mara certainly won't be pleased to hear that," Obi-wan commented.

Luke blushed at the mention of the girl's name. "Mara's not my girlfriend."

"Others would say different Luke."

Luke rolled his eyes. "But it's not like that. Leia feels more like a sister to me. I think she's force sensitive. She really did almost beat me earlier. I've never seen anyone race with reflexes like that."

Obi-wan froze. "Her name was Leia?"

"Yeah… Leia Tano. I don't think it's her real name though. She told me Ahsoka's not her real mother and Ahsoka's not married to her dad, but she has her name. I think it's because he dad works in the fleet."

"The fleet. Did she say his name?"

"No. She just said he's off planet all the time and probably won't be back for a few months. Her best friend is afraid of him though. Says her dad's nearly two meters tall," Luke said ready to spar. Then he noticed how quiet Obi-wan was and he seemed a little bother. A quick inspection with the force told that he was nervous about something.

"You didn't tell her anything besides your name."

"Nothing besides the fact that my parents are dead really," Luke said frowning. "Why?"

"Nothing Luke. Let's get started. We're already behind as it is thanks to you," Obi-wan chided.

"Next time I'll try to look at a clock." Luke assured.

"Next time?"

"Yeah. I'm helping her modify her swoop tomorrow."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

It had been a while since Obi-wan had contacted Yoda for anything. In fact, it had been years. But today was different. After years of never coming across Leia or Ahsoka, they had found her when they weren't even trying to. Yoda's reaction was about as much as Obi-wan expected.

"Interesting turn this is. Certainly unexpected. Works in mysterious ways the force does," Yoda said.

"What should I do? Vader won't be back for months. That should be plenty of time to figure out a way to get Leia from under his grasp," Obi-wan suggested.

Yoda paused, a contemplative look on his face before he finally said, "Patient we must be. If act too soon, alerted to your presence, Vader could be. Until the time is right, encourage Luke's friendship with Leia, you must. Observe them through him, you shall."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** My sister thought she knew me so well that she just knew Luke wasn't going to appear in this until the next story. Just goes to show how unpredictable I am. Luke and Leia in a fight wasn't too farfetched for me as my twins sisters fight worse that they do with their other siblings. I did throw a lot of stuff in hear and anyone with a watchful eye will catch it. Of course, you won't get a reply out of me even if you are right. That's just how evil I am.

Remember, I'll post the next chapter tonight if you all want it bad enough or tomorrow. Then again the Clone Wars episode we've all been waiting on is coming on tonight. Three whole episodes… What's going to happen! At least you all get an update three times a week. Why can't Cartoon Network put all three episodes up in one night! This once a week is killing me!

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please! (Falls out on bed)


	16. Chapter 16

**AN:** Well darn… It's not even three o'clock and I got the reviews. I'm in a good mood anyway as just past my driver's test. Now to get a car… Anywho some people figured out what's going to happen. Others didn't mention it… Whatever. Here it is.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Sixteen**

"I need to get out the house," Ahsoka muttered as she briefly considered taking out her lightsaber and do some forms.

"That's certainly true," Leia said. "Your existence has practically been eating and sleeping since dad left. You've even started to gain weight."

"Don't remind me," Ahsoka muttered. Five and a half months of sitting around would do that to a person.

"No one who didn't see you every day would notice," Leia assured. "But you really have to get out of this depression you've got yourself in."

"Since when do you know these things," Ahsoka asked her.

"Since you tell me all the time," Leia said grinning. "You should come with me to Ben's house. I'm helping him work on his swoop. He messed it up trying to pull some fancy trick racing in the forest."

"Really?"

"It was hilarious. He looked so stunned. Even Abdul was laughing and saying I had never done anything like that," Leia explained trying not to laugh.

Ahsoka smiled. "I guess I could go. I've never met his uncle. Ben's always coming over here."

"You'll like him," Leia assured. "He's a nice man. And since you're going, that means Lana and Abdul can ride with us."

Ahsoka frowned. "Were you trying to get me to take you all over there all along?" she asked.

Leia smiled. "It might have had something to do with it. But you really do need to get out the house."

Ahsoka stood up before abruptly falling back down as the room spun and she saw spots in front of her face.

"Oh…" she muttered.

"What's wrong?"

"I stood up a little too fast," Ahsoka said standing up again, but a little more careful than before as she yawned.

"That's it. You definitely need to get some activity," Leia said dryly. "Maybe you can do some martial arts with Ben's uncle."

Ahsoka had to admit that wasn't a bad idea and even considered asking if she found Ben's uncle agreeable enough. But she felt weird when she got to the small house that belonged to Leia's friend, and it didn't go unnoticed by the three children with her as they walked up to the door.

"Are you alright Ahsoka?" Abdul asked. "You seem a little off."

"I'm fine," she said and since it was no secret to Lana and Abdul that she used to be a Jedi since they had seen her use a lightsaber during that incident with the anti-alien gang, she voiced her feelings.

"I sense something. A presence I haven't felt since…" Ahsoka trailed off when the door opened revealing who she guessed was supposed to be Ben's uncle, but who Ahsoka now knew darn well wasn't anybody's uncle.

"Hi Mr. Kenson," the three teenagers said hardly giving Obi-wan time to let them pass before they rushed to go back out the back door to where their friend was working on his bike.

Ahsoka couldn't help but to be stunned, not because she was surprised to see Obi-wan (even though she was) but because she hadn't seen it earlier. No wonder Leia had felt like she had met Ben before. Of course she would feel like she had met her twin brother…

"It's been a long time Obi-wan," she finally said in a bit of a cold tone.

"Ahsoka. What a pleasant surprise," Obi-wan said and it didn't escape the woman's notice that he didn't seem too surprised. "Why don't you come in?"

"I would have come in anyway," Ahsoka said walking past him. "It's been a long time."

"It certainly has been," Obi-wan said warily.

"So how long have you known me and Leia were here?" Ahsoka asked as Obi-wan led her into the living room

While she waited for Obi-wan to answer, Ahsoka tapped into the force and touched a bond that had been long since abandoned but not entirely severed. It would be the most effective and safest way to get in contact with Vader and if the fact that she was opening the bond again after fourteen years didn't make him drop whatever he was doing and come, the two words she sent would.

_Luke's here._

"Since Luke told me he made a friend named Leia Tano," Obi-wan admitted. "It didn't take long for me to figure out you were here."

"I'm surprised you didn't hightail it off planet and run to keep Luke away from his father," Ahsoka replied.

"Luke and Leia's father is Anakin Skywalker and he is dead," Obi-wan said calmly.

"It depends on your point of view," Ahsoka shot back increasingly irritated by Obi-wan's presence. "You're not taking Leia away."

"Be reasonable," Obi-wan said sighing.

"You be reasonable. Vader is all Leia's ever known and you'd take her way from that? He's her father," Ahsoka said as she looked out the window to where the teenagers were working on Luke's swoop.

"He's only the shadow of a man he once was," Obi-wan replied simply. "You'd risk letting him turn Leia into something she's not one day, to the dark side.

"How do you know he would do that? From one battle on Mustafar where you left him to burn?" Ahsoka asked still a little angry at Obi-wan for that incident. "That's hardly reliable. You haven't lived with him for the last fourteen years. He's not too different from how he was before if you look at him. I know."

"Your emotions have clouded your judgment," Obi-wan said simply.

Ahsoka continued to stare out the window saying, "Have you ever thought that there's more to the Sith than anger, hate, and the dark side?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because before he's a Sith Lord or the second in command of the empire, Vader's just a man who could have lost everything and he realizes that. There's another side to just the evil you see," Ahsoka said. "Everything's not black and white."

"Your feelings for Anakin have clouded your judgment. Vader's not Anakin," Obi-wan said to her patiently. Obviously neither of them were going to budge.

"Vader's an extension of Anakin, albeit a dark one," Ahsoka admitted. "But he's good in his own way. If I have feelings for anyone-which I don't-they go out to Vader as he is and not for who he used to be."

She was lying and Obi-wan knew he knew it. There was something more than she was letting on between her and Vader. In fact Leia had alluded to it before when Luke had asked about Ahsoka and her father. She only mumbled that it was a complicated issue. At first, Obi-wan thought it had something to do with Vader being a Sith and Ahsoka being a Jedi. But now he wasn't so sure…

"They belong together," Ahsoka said as she saw the twins arguing over the best way to configure the engine on Luke's swoop while Abdul and Lana only shook their heads at the two.

"I know," Obi-wan admitted and then regretted it as he felt Ahsoka's temper spike.

"If you knew that why were you so intent on separating them and keeping them from their father," Ahsoka snapped. Had she really been a part of an order of such hypocritical people?

"It was for the best."

"I don't think so," Ahsoka said and then said, "You're not leaving the planet with Luke. Leave him here."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that," Obi-wan said not sure what to expect. She had been willing to fight him the night she took Leia and he was certain she would do the same to keep Luke with her.

"Relax Obi-wan," Ahsoka said looking out the window. "I'm not going to fight you. In all honesty, I don't want to fight you. But Vader will."

Obi-wan hid his surprise well. He honestly didn't think she'd bring Vader into this. "So you would betray the jedi because you believe Vader deserves to have his children?"

"No one has the right to say whether a man deserves his children or not if he wants to care for them," Ahsoka replied. "Not in this case anyway."

"Even after he tried to kill their mother in a fit of rage?" Obi-wan asked pointedly.

Ahsoka didn't reply.

"What's to say he won't do that to Leia if she decides she doesn't want the empire or the dark side?"

"He'd kill himself before he hurts Leia," Ahsoka said simply. "That much I know."

"And we all thought he felt the same way towards Padmé before he hurt her," Obi-wan said grimly.

Again, Ahsoka didn't reply.

"And what do you think Luke will say?" Obi-wan added. "You'd uproot him from the life he's accustomed to?"

"His life is a lie," Ahsoka said simply.

"Better that than burden him with the truth."

"It's only a burden because you've made him think it would be. What did you tell him?" Ahsoka asked. "That Darth Vader murdered Anakin Skywalker?"

"It's the truth."

"The truth is that you've made Luke fear his father, made him think he's in danger from him when he's not. Vader's been looking for him. He was devastated when he missed his chance to get him a few months ago. I won't let him miss this one," Ahsoka said determined.

"So you would betray the Jedi for him?"

Ahsoka wondered if she was really betraying a jedi or was she helping them. Sometimes she had the feeling that Vader didn't want to be a Sith. Sometimes she got the feeling that he wanted to leave it all behind and be a father. People he loved had always been more important to Anakin than orders and organizations. He had proved that when he took out the Jedi order and helped to bring down the republic in effort to save Padmé. Fourteen years ago she would have done differently and maybe if Luke and Leia weren't involved, she would stay loyal to the Jedi. But now, after helping Vader raise Leia all these years, she understood and if she ever had to make a choice between Leia and an order or organization… she'd do the same thing Vader had.

"Yes. I would," Ahsoka said deciding not to tell Obi-wan that it was already done. It bought her some time if he thought she would have to go get in touch with Vader and a few years ago, she would have. But slowly, the bond they used to have as master and padawan had returned even though both she and Vader decided to ignore its existence.

It was a few hours before Leia, Abdul, and Lana were ready to go and Ahsoka was glad. It meant Vader was probably almost here. Knowing him he had taken the quickest (and probably most dangerous) hyperspace routes to get to the outer rim planet they were situated on. Ahsoka's driving nearly matched Vader's reckless driving as she raced home.

"Ahsoka," Leia said once she had stopped. "What's going?"

"No time to explain," Ahsoka said to her.

"But-." Leia paused as she looked up. "Daddy?"

"What's going on?" Abdul asked.

"You three go to Lana's house," Ahsoka said.

"But my parents aren't home."

"Then go to Abdul's house and don't leave. Take the speeder!" Ahsoka said going into the house, her light saber flying into her hands as she passed the stairs and went into the back to meet Vader who was coming out of a one man shuttle. He was in such a rush, he didn't bother trying to take off his suit.

"Where's Luke?" he asked sounding harsher than he meant to be to her with the mask on.

"I'll take you there," Ahsoka said. "But I don't know how long we have. Obi-wan is going to try to get Luke off planet."

"You stay with Leia," Vader commanded. "I will take care of this."

"Are you nuts?" she asked him. "You can't do this alone. I think Obi-wan trained Luke. He'll try to help Obi-wan fight you."

"I rather risk losing the child I don't have yet than losing the one I already have Ahsoka," Vader said gently. "Please, protect Leia."

Ahsoka sighed gripping her light saber tightly. They didn't have time to go back and forth on this. "Fine. But you don't know where they are."

"You've don't your part. I know they're here now. The force will lead me to them," Vader said and with that he got into one of his specialty speeders and sped off.

Ahsoka watched him leave and called Artoo and Threepio to come with her before heading to Abdul's house a block away in her another random speeder. Leia raced out to meet her.

"Ahsoka. What's going on? Where's dad?"

Ahsoka sighed as she got out the speeder slowly walking up to Abdul's house. Ahsoka started to answer her when Abdul's mother saw her and gasped forcing her to sit down in the den.

"Ahsoka," she said. "I've never seen you look so tired and stressed. Are you okay?"

"Fine," Ahsoka said rubbing her eyes.

"You sure?" Abdul asked. "You look a little sick."

"I'm fine," Ahsoka assured.

"Then what's happening? Something happened at Ben's house didn't it?" Leia asked.

Ahsoka briefly contemplated waiting until Vader got back to tell her… if he came back. She sighed.

"Luke's here," she said.

Leia stared at Ahsoka in bemusement.

"Luke?" she asked and then said, "You mean…"

"Your brother. He's here."

"Leia has a brother?" Lana asked.

"They're twins," Ahsoka elaborated. "The Jedi tried to hide them from Vader. I took Leia away and brought her to Vader but I didn't have time to get Luke."

"My brother's here?" Leia whispered and then it struck her. "Ben… He's Luke. He's my brother isn't he?"

Ahsoka nodded.

"Hm," Leia mused. "He must be wearing contacts. He's supposed to have blue eyes."

"Hold on a minute," Lana said with her hands on her hips. "What's going on? And why does Ahsoka look like she's lost her best friend or something?"

"Wait a minute," Leia said. "That's why dad's here. He came to get Luke. But I thought the Jedi had Luke."

Abdul sighed. "Don't you get it Leia? Mr. Lars is a Jedi. Honestly, for someone who orchestrated her father and guardian's relationship, you can be clueless."

"What do you mean orchestrated our relationship?" Ahsoka asked abruptly looking at Leia who winced under her guardian's glare.

"Well, it was more so pushing you in the right direction than orchestrating it…" Leia said and then blinked. "Wait a minute. Mr. Lars is a jedi?"

"His real name is Obi-wan," Ahsoka said.

Leia put her hands on her hips. "Then what are you doing here. Dad needs help."

Ahsoka sighed. "He told me to protect you."

Leia rolled her eyes. "Have you learned nothing from holovision?" she asked dramatically partly joking but mostly serious. "You're not supposed to care what he says. You're supposed to go after him. You love him for Force's sake!"

Ahsoka laughed. "Sorry to break it to you, but your father and I-."

"Are the biggest fools in the galaxy!" Leia said frustrated. "I've known that you were in love with him since I was five years old and if a five year old can see it, it's a kriffing shame that you two can't."

Ahsoka looked at Leia aghast. "Where did you learn that kind of language from?"

Leia merely shrugged "Where have you been lately? All teenagers in high school do is swear when they talk. But getting to that later," she said and continued her rant, "You have to go after him!"

"Leia. It's not about whether I love you father or not," Ahsoka said with her face in her hands.

"It is. And you're both in denial. And no matter what I do you two don't want to admit it! But it doesn't matter right now. Right now he needs you there. He needs both of us so he'll fight with everything in him to beat this Jedi," Leia said passionately and Ahsoka was reminded of the girl's mother more than she ever had been.

It was only after this crossed her mind and she noticed everyone was looking at them that Ahsoka realized she had just been told off by a fourteen year old… A fourteen year old who was more attune to feelings that most people and understood the force more than Ahsoka did in a way. Since when was she one to conform? Part of the downfall of the Jedi was the fact that they ignored the darkness that had fallen instead of dealing with it and if she and Vader kept ignoring whatever it was they felt for each other, it would lead to their downfall. It was just like Anakin and Padmé having to hide their love for each other had led to not only their own downfall, but the downfall of an entire government which thrust the galaxy into darkness.

"Let's go," Ahsoka said standing up and heading for the door.

Artoo whistled and followed them. Threepio, always having to look after Artoo followed.

Lana and Abdul looked at each other.

"What do you think?" Abdul asked Lana.

"We've never let Leia get into trouble by herself before," Lana said and followed them.

"But we were never dealing with force stuff," Abdul pointed out. "But that's Leia for ya'."

The two ran out to get in to speeder with the group.

"You two sure you want to get involved in this?" Ahsoka asked.

"As if our parents aren't spies for Leia's dad anyway," Lana said as Ahsoka pulled off towards the house they had just left.

However, the mark of Vader was at the house. He had obviously wasted no time trying to talk to Obi-wan. Typical, Ahsoka thought. Vader had simply blasted the door down and stormed inside the house. Ahsoka got out the car.

"Stay in the car," she said running past the half packed speeder, from where Obi-wan was obviously going to flee the planet, and into the house where there was no doubt a duel happening.

The clashing of sabers was the first thing she heard and she had to take a step back as the dueling men came past her, Vader still in his old respirator suit.

"Vader!" she yelled already noticing how awkward and hard it was for him to move in his suit.

"Get Luke," Vader said to her.

Ahsoka nodded and saw Luke standing in the corner obviously torn between helping Obi-wan or running away like the Jedi had told him.

"Luke," she said going to him. The boy lit his light saber.

"Stay back. I'm not going with you," he said to her firmly.

"I don't want to fight you Luke," Ahsoka said softly. "I don't want to hurt you."

"That's not what Obi-wan says," he tried to say passively but the fear crept through. "You want to take me to Vader.

"Obi-wan lied to you."

"Then why did you call Vader here?" Luke asked wearily.

Ahsoka winced. "Okay. He didn't lie about that part. I did want to take you to Vader, but not so he could hurt you," Ahsoka assured.

"Excuse me if I find that incredibly hard to believe," Luke said and Ahsoka would have laughed if the situation weren't so dire. He had apparently inherited Vader's sarcasm.

"I shouldn't tell you now," Ahsoka muttered. "You shouldn't have to find out like this."

Luke lowered his light saber, curious about what the woman had to say.

"Did Obi-wan ever tell you what happened to your father?" Ahsoka asked slowly.

"He told me that Vader murdered him," Luke said and Ahsoka shook her head stepping closer to Luke.

"No Luke. Vader is your father."

"What?" Luke asked and looked over to where Vader and Obi-wan were fighting. "No."

"Yes. Vader's been looking for you for years. You have a-." Ahsoka paused as she turned in time to see Obi-wan force push Vader through the window.

"Daddy!" Leia screamed as she jumped out the car to where her father had landed on the concrete with a hard thud.

"Vader," Ahsoka said leaving Luke and running past Obi-wan back outside to where Vader had landed.

He groaned. "I don't think I've ever been so grateful for this suit in my life. I have a feeling I would have cracked my skull otherwise."

"It you didn't have on this suit, you would be able to move better and this probably wouldn't have happened," Ahsoka said knowingly as she reached to unclasp the helmet and take off the mask revealing his handsome face. She ran a hand through his blonde locks.

"I swear I told you two to stay put," Vader muttered sitting up.

"You needed us," Ahsoka said smiling as she grabbed her light saber.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Ahsoka's expression became serious as she turned to where Obi-wan was trying to get Luke to move.

"What I should have done fourteen years ago," she said lighting the green blade. "Get out of that suit. I'll hold off Obi-wan."

"Was she telling the truth?" Luke asked not knowing what to believe anymore as he looked at Obi-wan.

"That's not important right now Luke. You have to get away," Obi-wan said urgently trying to push the boy along.

"He's not going anywhere," Ahsoka said. "He belongs here with his father and his sister."

"My sister," Luke muttered and then looked over to where Leia was. "Leia…"

"I don't want to fight you Ahsoka," Obi-wan said to her.

"I really don't want to fight you either Obi-wan," Ahsoka said softly. "But you're so stuck in the confines of the Jedi order that you can't see what I'm trying to show you. I'll kill you if it means keeping both Luke and Leia here."

It was then Obi-wan saw that Ahsoka wasn't talking out of want for anything. There was really no malice or ill intent behind her words. She really didn't want to fight him. However, there was something in her tone that was even more threatening than that. Before him was no longer the teenage padawan that had fled with her best friend's infant daughter and believed that the child belonged with its father. This was a woman who was trying to protect the children that she considered hers and the man she fell in love with.

Obi-wan sighed. Nothing was ever as simple as it should be when he was dealing with Skywalkers.

Ahsoka twirled her light saber and with a predator growl attacked Obi-wan.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** Okay. So there it is and lucky to because we may or may not go out of town later. Either way, see you Monday.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	17. Chapter 17

**AN:** I'm overwhelmed… Over the weekend between my last two chapters, I received twenty-nine reviews! You all really know how to make a girl feel good.

So this chapter is kind of short because we're nearing the end of the story. But the next chapter more than makes up for it. I promise! It's nearly four thousand words… Anywho, nothing to say. Again, I might be motivated to update later today but who knows.

Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Seventeen**

For someone who only picked up a lightsaber twice in the last fourteen years, Vader had to admit he was impressed. Ahsoka had gotten older, a little wiser, and found contentment in a place she hadn't expected to. It made her moves more impassioned and aggressive, but also much more graceful and in control.

Leia was watching in fascination. "I didn't know she could fight like that. She really was a Jedi once…"

"The order expected great things from her when she was younger. She was a prodigy and probably would have been one of the most powerful Jedi of the order," Vader said. If his master ever found out she were alive, he'd want her dead.

"After you of course," Leia said with a smile.

Vader scowled. "Thankfully I didn't remain with the order."

"Neither did Ahsoka," Leia pointed out as Vader managed to get the last of his suit off, only leaving one of the black gauntlets on his mechanical hand.

"Princess, I need you to get Luke. He'll listen to you," Vader said as he went to where Obi-wan and Ahsoka had taken the duel into the kitchen.

"Come on," Leia said urging Abdul, Lana, Threepio, and Artoo to help her.

Luke was heading into the kitchen behind Vader after he saw him go in there, obviously scared for his mentor more than concerned about the man revealed to be his father.

"Luke no," Leia said grabbing his arm.

"Let me go. They're going to kill Ben," he said.

"You mean Obi-wan?" Leia asked as Luke nodded. "Why do you care so much? He kept you away from us for your whole life. He lied to you!"

Luke looked down. "I know okay. But he was only trying to protect me. Ben's never done anything to purposely hurt me, even if he shouldn't have lied to me," Luke explained.

Leia rolled her eyes. "That's crazy Luke."

"No it's not!" Luke snapped and Leia met his glare. He sighed, figuring arguing wasn't going to work on Leia (Because truthfully it hadn't worked on her in the last month he had known her as she always had a comeback and he never backed down). So Luke decided to try another tactic. He reached out with the force and to his surprise he was keenly aware of Vader's presence.

"It's like Vader. You know he works for the empire and I bet you know he's done evil things," Luke said to her.

"I know. I knew that when I was younger. He and Ahsoka used to fight about it all the time," Leia said looking down. It was the truth. She didn't kid herself into thinking her father wasn't evil. Then again, it depended on how she looked at it. His methods were evil, but his intention was to keep the peace.

"But you know he'd never do anything to hurt you, so you love him anyway," Luke said but Leia only looked at him stubbornly.

"He's my father. Of course I would," she said with her arms crossed.

"Ugh," Luke said and then snapped his finger. "But Ahsoka's not your mother."

"So what? She's been taking care of me since I was a baby," Leia defended.

"And Obi-wan's done the same for me Leia," he said. "I can't let Ahsoka and Vader kill him."

Leia paused. Obi-wan was to Luke as Ahsoka was to her. He was the man that cared for Luke when no one else could and kept him out of harm's way.

"Leia. Please," Luke said.

Leia sighed and turned to Abdul, Lana, Artoo, and Threepio. "You all go back outside. Me and Luke have to stop this."

Leia didn't wait for a reply as she and Luke headed into the now destroyed kitchen which now had no back wall.

"Wow," she said as she watched the duel. "Obi-wan's good."

"I didn't know he was that good myself," Luke muttered.

Obi-wan had to admit, he had been surprised with the skill and aggression Ahsoka had come against him with as she defended Vader who hadn't jumped into the fight immediately and Obi-wan could only assume he had been hurt as he had noticed his mask had cracked. However, he was beyond surprised when Vader came back into the fight, minus the suit and surprisingly whole looking just like he had when he was younger as Anakin Skywalker except more muscular and mature.

"Give up Obi-wan," Vader said. "You're no match for us."

"We don't want to have to kill you," Ahsoka growled blocking one of Obi-wan's strokes.

"Quite the contrary Ahsoka," Vader said. "I'd love to."

"We don't have the time. If Leia can convince Luke to go with her, we won't have to Vader. This is about getting Luke, not killing Obi-wan," Ahsoka said to him.

"Then you take them and get away from here," Vader said losing some of his focus in concern for her. "I'll take care of this."

"I'm not leaving you," Ahsoka said leaving no room for argument.

Seeing their distraction, Obi-wan took advantage of it and knocked Vader's red blade out his hand among the rubble. Ahsoka, with a frustrated growl, increased the speed of her strokes in her fury.

"Am I the only one that smells gas," Leia yelled above the sound of clashing sabers.

Vader stopped. Leia was right and just as soon as he admitted that, he felt the warning.

"You have to get out of here," he said to Leia and then frowned. "Where's Luke?"

"He was…" Leia stopped and looked to where Luke was heading toward Ahsoka and Obi-wan. "Daddy. Something's wrong with Ahsoka…"

"What are you talking about?" Vader asked her.

And then there was another warning as Luke jumped into the fray to defend his mentor taking Ahsoka by surprise as she stopped mid-stroke not wanting to hurt Luke. But Luke wasn't that controlled yet and was unable to stop his strike.

"Ahsoka," both Leia and Vader yelled.

In the blink of an eye, Vader had summoned his lightsaber and jumped across the kitchen to defend the woman from his own son who nearly slashed her across the chest… And in the process cut of his hand right below his wrist.

Luke wasn't the only one who cried out. Leia winced and held back a cry at the sudden numbness and then pain that came over her right arm as Luke fell to his knees.

Ahsoka gasped as Obi-wan called out Luke's name trying to get to him, but Vader was already at Luke's side looking at Luke, but as Ahsoka expected, it didn't look too much like Vader regretted it.

"I didn't mean it," Vader said honestly, but he wasn't really sorry for it. He rather have a son missing a hand than have Ahsoka dead.

"No," Luke yelled with contempt in his eyes. "Get away from me you monster!"

Vader started to approach Luke anyway until Ahsoka softly called out his name.

"Vader," she whispered suddenly holding her head and at that moment, two things happened.

Ahsoka started to collapse in his arms and something exploded, probably the gas line Leia smelt earlier. As part of the house came tumbling down on top of them, Vader shielded Ahsoka as Obi-wan did the same with Luke. Leia had no one, but had earlier crawled under the table as her anxiousness steadily grew.

The next thing all of them knew was the temperature starting to rapidly climb as the house burst into flames. Vader froze in terror as the flames rose around him, taking him back to that day on Mustafar where he had almost burned to death, where he still had scars on his chest, back, and upper arms.

"Vader," Ahsoka whispered snapping him out of it, sensing the danger even in her half conscious state. "Where's Leia?"

"Leia," he muttered and then heard the girl's scream.

"Daddy!"

Vader started to go to her but then looked at Ahsoka who was in no condition to walk. He turned to Obi-wan who was helping Luke stand. As reluctant as he was to call for the man's help, he had to save Leia and Ahsoka.

"Take Ahsoka," he said standing up with her in his arms. "She needs medical attention. Something's wrong with her."

Obi-wan nodded putting aside their differences for that moment as more important things were on the line. Obi-wan led Luke out the house with Ahsoka in his arms as Vader went to find Leia while trying to pretend the flames weren't around him.

"Leia," he yelled.

"Daddy!" she screamed from where she was.

Vader found her huddled in the corner with her hands on her head, tears streaming down her face.

"You don't have to be afraid, Leia," Vader said stroking her hair as he tried to help her stand.

"He left you to burn daddy," she whispered and if Vader didn't know any better, he'd swear she was five years old again as he knelt down and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Who?"

"Obi-wan," she said burying her face in his neck. "He tried to kill you."

"That's not important right now," he said.

"But I saw it," Leia said muttered. "How can he have claimed to be trying to help you when he left you to die?"

Vader frowned as he lifted Leia in his arms and started making his way out of the burning house. Talking to Leia distracted him from the flames.

"How did you see it? When?"

"When the fire started," Leia said to him. "Ahsoka tried to help you but Obi-wan would let her. She loved you then too."

They were almost out. What should have been a straight path to the door was made longer by the fact that the flames kept blocking his way and the fumes were starting to get to him.

"How do you know that?"

"Because she loves you now and you love her too, even though you won't tell her," Leia said with a small laugh that turned into a cough.

Vader reluctantly realized that he would be forced to have Leia trained if she was so attuned to his feelings that not only had she seen the flashback he was having but had been able to block out, but also that she could read people so well. Soon her force ability would be too much for her to handle.

Outside, Obi-wan handed over the still semi-conscious Ahsoka to the medics that Abdul, Lana, and Threepio had called upon hearing the explosion and seeing the house burst into flames.

Artoo suddenly started to beep frantically and Luke, whose stub was being tended to by a medic, looked up.

"It's Vader and Leia," he said as the two came out the side of the burning house relieved that Leia was okay, but not as happy to see Vader.

The medic rushed to take Leia from him once he was a safe distance from the burning house and once they took her he collapsed to his knees coughing from smoke inhalation.

"Move," he said trying to push the medics away and hearing her father getting angry, Leia tried to look toward him.

"Daddy," she said.

"Leia," Ahsoka muttered trying to stay awake as Obi-wan stood over her. "Obi-wan, is Vader alright?"

Obi-wan was reminded of the day Padmé had asked him the same thing before they left Mustafar except she still couldn't accept that Anakin had become Vader. It seemed Ahsoka had no problem accepting that reality.

Again, Obi-wan didn't answer, but this time it was only because Vader who was still fighting off the medics trying to calm him was there.

"I'm here," he said and then went into a fit of violent coughs.

The medic then carried Ahsoka into the medical speeder and rushed her away to the hospital while Luke and Leia got in one together, both able to sit up, before they were sped away.

"You need medical attention sir," a more persistent medic said as Vader approached Lana and Abdul.

"Don't tell me what I…" Vader began harshly only succeeding in making his coughs worse.

Obi-wan crossed his arms looking in amusement. Well being stubborn and ignoring his own obvious needs was a characteristic of Anakin's that had carried on to Vader. When it looked like Vader was about to choke the persistent medic, Obi-wan put a hand on his arm.

"She's right," he told the Sith Lord patiently

Vader snatched his arm from Obi-wan and glared at him saying in between coughs, "If this were any other situation… I'd kill you."

Then his look softened. "But now isn't the time for that. You're right," Vader said rubbing his chest as he looked at Abdul and Lana who were trying to calm a frantic Threepio with Artoo's help.

"Call your parents. Tell then I said go to the hospital," he said and for once Abdul wasn't terrified that the man had addressed him.

"Yes sir," he said firmly taking out his com.

Vader's coughing got worse as his chest began to burn and Obi-wan led him over to the medical speeder where the medic immediately ushered him in and put a breathing mask on him before rushing him to the hospital as well.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** Alright people. Only two chapters left and I know I left you hanging… Again. I don't purposely write cliffies. They just sort of happen.

So what can I say? I wasn't really too happy with this chapter but it was needed. And about Obi-wan... I don't hate Obi-wan. In fact, I like him as a character and keeping him a live just fit the story better. When I originally thought about this ending, I was going to have Leia kill him in defending Ahsoka, but the story wouldn't write that way and I couldn't do that to Luke… Not yet anyway.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	18. Chapter 18

**AN:** Alright… My goal is to make it to two hundred reviews with this chapter and it'll be my new record for a stories. First story to reach two hundred reviews… I think it was Transition in Darkness was the first to get to a hundred. So this chapter may be a milestone for me. Anywho, this is the chapter everyone's been waiting on and the chapter I had in mind for the entire story. I had this chapter in mind before I knew how the story was going to start more or less.

So without further ado, read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Eighteen**

The mood in the private waiting room (that Vader had demanded they create) was solemn as they waited for the medics to bring them the news. Leia had insisted that she not be separated from her father once she sensed him at the hospital. So it also become where the medic would treat on Leia, as well as treat Vader for severe smoke inhalation and measure Luke to fit him with a new hand. Lana and Abdul sat quietly near their anxious best friend while Luke, who liked his sister regardless of who their father was but didn't want to be near Vader, was on the other side of the room with Obi-wan where Lana and Abdul's parents also were. The only one who wasn't there was Ahsoka.

The whole night had given Obi-wan something to think about. Vader had been so obviously anxious-though he tried his best effort to hide it-about Ahsoka's well being that he hadn't protested when the medics slapped an oxygen mask on him and made him breath the fresh oxygen to clear his lungs for well over an hour. Now he was sitting next to Leia, who still had on her breathing mask, with his hands in his lap looking down on the floor.

This was a stark contrast from the angry and vengeful Vader he had fought on Mustafar the last time he saw him and a much more whole one. He found out from Luke, who found out from Leia, that Ahsoka had helped him arrange the surgery years ago when Leia had made the request to see his face. He also found out that it had been part of Leia's plan to set her father up with her caretaker. Either way, one couldn't tell by looking at him that he had been severely burned with all his limbs removed at one time. He looked like he did before the end of the Clone Wars except more mature.

Now Vader was sitting there unconcerned that he was in a room with a Jedi that he had vowed to kill one day. He was just a man who had been through a lot of crap in his life, thankful that his children were alright (even if one of them didn't want to be around him) and worried about the woman who he wasn't quite sure how he felt about. But Obi-wan knew. A blind fool with no force ability could see it. Vader was just in denial.

The door opened and everyone looked up to see Ahsoka's Falleen medic come in the room blowing through her mouth as she paused to look over her notes.

Ever the impatient one, no one was surprised when Vader stood up and said, "So?"

"She is fine. I'm glad she got out that fire when she did or I'd be adding smoke inhalation to this list. That combined with her other condition might have killed her as she was already suffering from exhaustion and oxygen deprivation," she said.

"So what's wrong with her?" Tamara asked.

"Nothing too bad. Her exhaustion and whatever strenuous exercise she was doing before she got here sent her into premature labor. Not to mention the placenta was starting to detach from the uterine wall causing some bleeding. But we managed to stop the labor and the bleeding. However, I'd recommend-."

The medic had lost Vader at premature labor as he had been stunned speechless.

"Wait a minute," Vader said cutting her off when he gained his voice. "Premature labor? You must be talking about the wrong patient. Ahsoka's not-."

"Ahsoka Tano? Thirty-one standard years and Leia Tano's nee Skywalker's legal guardian right?"

Vader only succeeded in nodding dumbly mouth agape in shock.

"Yeah. This is her chart. She's at twenty-two and a half weeks gestation," the woman said nodding her head

Since everyone else was struck dumb at the revelation, it was Obi-wan who asked, "She's pregnant?"

"You mean you didn't know?" the medic asked confused. "Did she know?"

Vader couldn't find any words to say except, "Pregnant…"

"Wow. This job gets more and more interesting everyday and just when I thought nothing could surprise me after twenty years, it does," she muttered writing on her chart before looking up. "So was this some kind of secret affair or one night stand or can someone in here claim paternity?"

Leia, who had taken off her mask and was giddy with excitement, pointed to her father.

"That would be him," she said as she jumped off the bed. "Is it a boy or a girl? Can you tell yet? Tell me. I don't think my dad will be talking for a while."

The medic laughed. "It's a girl," she said to the ecstatic teenager.

Leia squealed, something very uncharacteristic of the tomboy.

"A girl! I'm going to have a little sister," she said clapping and jumping up and down, the ache in her chest forgotten.

"That's impossible," Vader finally muttered.

The Falleen doctor shrugged. "It's not necessarily common for a human and a torgruta only because the Togruta mainly stay to themselves. But it's certainly not impossible."

Obi-wan snorted. Anything that was uncommon or even rare had its chances increased exponentially when the name Skywalker was thrown into the mix. Apparently it was the same for Vader. He was still the "chosen one" Obi-wan guessed.

Leia who was still grinning asked, "Did you get a picture from the scan? Can I see it?"

"I'll take you to go get them later," the woman said becoming serious again.

"Now, I have to tell you this is classified as a high risk pregnancy. Of the cases like this, there's only a thirty-three percent chance that the fetus will make it," she explained.

"To full term, you mean," Vader asked now more concerned about the safety of his future child than shocked at the initial news.

"I mean alive," the woman said bluntly. "But according to the readings the fetus is thriving and at this point I can say with a lot of certainty that it will be fine. I don't want to get your hopes up though just in case. I rather be safe than sorry so I have to prescribe bed rest in a stress free environment. No unnecessary physical exertion and special attention to her diet. She's going to need some supplements... lots of iron and folic acids," the Falleen prescribed before gesturing to Leia.

"Let's go find those pictures. They're in 4D so you get to see her face," she said.

Leia could hardly contain her excitement as she followed the doctor.

"Can I go?" Luke asked quietly from where he was.

"Well duh," Leia said grabbing his arm. "She's your sister too. You coming Artoo and Threepio?"

The two droids followed with Abdul and Lana behind them while Vader sat in one of the seats Abdul and Lana had vacated. Of all the things in the world he had been expecting to be wrong with Ahsoka, pregnancy hadn't been on the list. It hadn't even crossed his mind. Then he remembered one day when Leia had called him, only a few weeks ago and mentioned that Ahsoka had been acting strange. She was always tired, gaining weight, getting sick, eating things she normally didn't like (coffee and yogurt being some of them), and having odd moods out of nowhere.

The signs had certainly pointed to it. How could they not have seen it? Hell how could Ahsoka not have known there was new life inside her? He felt the anger rise up in him at the thought that Ahsoka had possibly been hiding it from him being it was the only reason she wouldn't have told Leia. He let out a breath and it occurred to him that Ahsoka would have never jumped into a lightsaber duel to help him, knowing that she was pregnant… at least he hoped not.

"She's so cute!" Leia exclaimed coming back into the room with a scroll of pictures in her hands from the scan and even Luke couldn't help the smile that was on his face as the teens returned.

Everyone crowded around her to see the scans, but Vader, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the entire situation slipped out the room unnoticed by everyone except Obi-wan, who had been watching him curiously. Obi-wan slipped out behind him and found his squatting against the wall with his head down.

"What do you want?" Vader asked him sharply. "You want to take this child away from me too?"

"As if Ahsoka would let me, let alone you," Obi-wan said lightly. He didn't quite know what to make of the situation.

Vader cursed under his breath.

"How long have you two been involved?"

Normally Vader wouldn't have given a Jedi the chance to get out his first word, let alone ask a complete question. But right then it didn't matter. Nothing mattered, except what he was going to do and he needed someone to help him figure it out, even if it was a Jedi.

"It's complicated," Vader said to him. "I'm not even sure what we had going on. I guess it was a few years but only when I was on planet and it wasn't until my last visit that we…"

Obi-wan got the point.

"I wasn't even supposed to be on the planet. I was just so angry. I needed to get away and, even though I convinced myself I was just going to see Leia, I knew she would be there. I needed her," Vader admitted. "And she was there to meet me."

"Get away from what?"

"I was angry I had lost my chance to get Luke," Vader muttered bitterly.

"Angry at me for taking him?"

"Angry at myself for letting you. Anyway, Leia was out the house and somehow I think she arranged it. Don't ask me how. She only came back once and that was only for ten minutes the next morning and she left again. We were together the whole day for the most part," Vader said. "We had agreed to keep the emotions out of it."

"And we all know how great you are at doing that," Obi-wan said dryly.

Vader didn't reply and Obi-wan had a feeling it was because he couldn't deny it. Obi-wan had seen the way he used to look at Padmé, how he used to worry about her and he did the same thing for Ahsoka, albeit with the guise of disdain to cover it. But he couldn't fool Obi-wan. He recognized what his former apprentice was feeling.

He then sighed. "The emperor's probably gotten whiff of my abrupt departure again and after the last time I left, he's probably suspicious. No doubt the empire is on the way here. I have to hide them… I need your help."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was no wonder she hadn't known, Vader mused later on after he went to see her. One could hardly tell she was nearly six months pregnant. Padmé had been more than showing at six months. Then again she had been carrying twins. Vader frowned. Motherhood seemed to fit Padmé when she had been pregnant. He could easily picture it. She was naturally caring and nurturing. But Ahsoka… he couldn't quite imagine it.

She wasn't exactly nurturing. It wasn't in her nature to be so. Ahsoka was teasing and playful with a dry sense of humor and quick wit. They were the very things about her that got on his nerve when she was first assigned to him. Her intuition about things was uncanny and the horrible part was she would notice something and never let on that she had noticed it. Vader could actually picture his former student as a Sith Lady if she had the right molding and let go of the tight leash she had on her emotions and her anger. And even though Ahsoka adamantly denied it, he had a feeling the reason she denied it was because she saw the truth in his words.

However, a mother was something he couldn't imagine. Ahsoka had a hard enough time with Leia as a baby. He remembered his first time back to see her. She tiredly put Leia in his arms, went to her room, and slept for a good two days, much to a six-month-old Leia's dismay. He remembered musing that logically Leia must think Ahsoka was her mother and his assumption was proven correct when Leia called her 'ma.' Ahsoka had briefly tensed before shaking her head and trying to teach Leia to say her name. She succeeded. Leia had been calling her by her name ever since, but if anyone asked who Ahsoka was to her, Vader had a feeling Leia would say more than just her guardian.

He brushed his real hand over her abdomen and then kept it there as he reached into the force to find the child. He found her, presence shining brightly and strongly in the force. She would be fine. Vader cracked a small smile. Eventually he had looked at the scans Leia was sitting in awe over. Except for a red tint on her face, he assumed the little one would look human.

Speaking of Leia… Vader briefly wondered where she was, probably celebrating her victory. If her plan was to get him and Ahsoka together, she had succeeded to an extent. A baby connected them for life.

"I feel like bantha shit," Ahsoka muttered as she opened her eyes and Vader removed his hand. "What happened?"

"What do you remember?"

"Obi-wan, a duel where you accidently cut off Luke's hand and a fire… Is Leia alright?"

"She's fine. She had to be treated for smoke inhalation, but she's alright," Vader said running his hand over her arm.

"And what about you?" she asked.

Vader looked away from her and Ahsoka started to sit up, but Vader kept her lying down.

"You shouldn't do that? How do you feel?" he asked.

"I just established that. But if you need me to repeat it-."

"No," Vader said shaking his head. "I mean do you feel different?"

"Should I?" Ahsoka asked confirming Vader's suspicions that she had been unaware of her condition. "What did they have to take out of me or replace?"

"Nothing. They just found something when they checked you…"

Ahsoka scowled and sat up on her elbows. Vader was never one to beat around the bush. It must have been something big for him to be trying to gauge her reaction. But nothing could have prepared her for what he told her.

"You're pregnant."

Ahsoka was stunned speechless. Pregnant… She started to tell Vader to stop joking before she remembered, he didn't joke. The closest thing to joking she got from Vader was extreme sarcasm.

"What?" she asked dumbly.

"My reaction exactly," Vader said to her with a smile. "I don't see how you missed it."

Ahsoka was trying to figure that one out herself. Everything had pointed to it. She had been fatigue, gaining weight, and having mood swings. But she had attributed it all to being a little depressed that Vader was gone. Now that she thought about it, even her unusual longing for Vader's presence could be attributed to pregnancy. She remembered pregnant woman were unusually attached to their mates on Shili when she was younger. Strangely though, she hadn't missed a period…

"The medic said that's because the placenta was starting to detach a little," Vader said and Ahsoka frowned. "You were thinking kind of loud there."

"What did Leia say?"

Vader rolled his eyes. "She hasn't shut up about it since the medic announced it. She's already planning how to decorate her room and gushing over the scan pictures every ten minutes."

"Her?"

"It's a girl," Vader said simply. "Leia was insistent on knowing."

Ahsoka was silent as she took it all in. This was new and she was sure later when this really sunk in, she'd know how to react. But more important than her reaction right now was Vader's. She looked at him and asked carefully, "So how do you feel about all this?"

Vader didn't say anything and Ahsoka didn't get the chance to pry because Leia burst into the room sensing that her guardian was awake followed by Threepio and Artoo. Soon Obi-wan came too, followed by a reluctant Luke who was still getting adjusted to his new hand.

"Did you tell her?" Leia asked her father and he only nodded. Leia looked at Ahsoka. "You should have seen him Ahsoka. The medic went to rambling about premature labor and daddy thought she was talking about the wrong person until she read your information. I've never seen him so shocked. We should have had a camera. He couldn't even talk until Obi-wan asked to confirm it."

Ahsoka smiled. She had never seen Leia so excited about something.

Obi-wan looked at Vader with a patient expression and the Sith nodded knowing what he had to do.

"The empire is on the way here," he said. "You all have to leave."

Ashoka sighed, slowly sitting up. "I figured as much. Where are we going?"

Vader shrugged. "I don't know."

Leia and Ahsoka looked at Vader who stood firm under their inquisitive gazes.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Leia said but she seemed to already know as he bottom lip had started to tremble.

Vader looked at the two and shook his head. "Obi-wan has called for an alliance shuttle to come get you. The rebellion will protect you from the emperor until other arrangements can be made."

"But you'll still come see us right?" Leia asked. "The rebels only know the mask of Vader. They don't know you. Right daddy?"

Vader couldn't stand to look at his daughter's troubled face as he turned his back on the two of them.

"This is the second time I've suddenly fled from a mission to come here. The emperor will no doubt be watching me, probing me. If I want to protect you, you have to go somewhere you'll be safe from his spies… and I can't know where," Vader explained.

"No," Leia said as tears streamed down her face. "It'll be years. I might never see you again."

Vader didn't reply for a moment knowing what Leia was trying to do. She knew the power she had over him. He could never do anything to purposely hurt her and he could never tell her no for anything. But it wasn't going to work this time. He rather deny her than see her killed.

"It has to be done princess," he said and Leia rushed out the room.

"Miss Leia," Threepio said rushing after her. "Come back. You can't run in a hospital like that."

Artoo rolled behind trying to call the girl back. Obi-wan and Luke only exchanged a look as they went to go find her, leaving Vader alone with an oddly quiet Ahsoka again. Vader simply waited for her to talk knowing whatever she said wasn't going to be nice. She was not going to make this easy on him.

Ahsoka didn't let him down.

"No," she said shaking her head. "You're not pushing us away."

"What choice do I have?" Vader asked.

"Kill the emperor," Ahsoka said crossing her arms.

Vader shook his head. "I won't put you all through that right now. The backlash would be too great. They'd come after you. Someone would find out, if someone doesn't already know. The emperor's a conniving and manipulative man. He would find a way to use you two as leverage and I'm not going to take that risk. It's safer like this for now."

"And how long are you going to make that excuse?" Ahsoka asked angrily. "Leia's a big girl. She can take care of herself."

"Stang it," Vader said raising his voice in obvious anger as he turned back to face Ahsoka. "This isn't about just Leia anymore. This is about you too."

"And since when have you cared?" Ahsoka asked with her arms crossed trying to be difficult if only to convince Vader that he was wrong.

"I don't know," he growled and then softened his voice. "For a while now. It didn't matter at first. I thought you were disposable. You'd die to protect Leia and if I were willing to let you do that, I'd chance it. But I don't want you to do that anymore."

He went over to her to caress her cheek before he continued, "Obi-wan was right to keep Luke away from me. And I should have sent you and Leia away when you came to me with her, but I was selfish. But now, you, Leia, and this new baby are all that matters and if I have to trust my worst enemy to keep you safe, I'll do that."

"But-."

"The medic said chances are this baby won't even make it alive," Vader continued knowing that this would make her see. "I'm not going to have that on my hands and I'll do everything possible to keep you somewhere safe, where you don't have to be stressed to give her a fighting chance. I'm going to make this as easy as possible on you even if it means I can't be around."

Ahsoka looked down and at first Vader thought she was angry as he couldn't quite read her emotions well through the force. They were a jumbled mess. It was only after he felt something wet roll onto his hand where it was still on her face that he realized she was trying to hide her tears. In all the years he had known her, he had never seen her cry before.

"Don't do that," he said wrapping his arms around her.

"And where does that leave us," she asked returning his embrace. "Tell me."

"I don't know."

She buried her face in his chest. "Don't lie."

"You know I can't say it. Don't ask me to," Vader said firmly but gently.

But Ahsoka felt it, if only for a fleeting moment he had let her feel it inside of him.

"I love you too," she whispered.

"I know," he said as they simply sat in each other's embrace needing nothing else but each other's warmth. "I know."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** Didn't you love that chapter? This was easy to write but hard at the same time. There's always been a thin line between Vader and Anakin to me and the thing line was really obvious here. He was definitely Vader, but the good in him crept up a lot in this one.

Okay now to make comments about this chapter, particularly that Ahsoka had no clue she was pregnant until she was more than halfway through her pregnancy. Trust me it's not just for the sake of dramatic irony here. It happens. Women will have all the signs and it won't ever cross their minds. The weight gain thing is particularly deceiving because a woman may not gain weight in her abdomen per say. It may be all over her body which you can chalk up to laziness. Also pregnancy has some of the same exactly symptoms of other sicknesses, depression being one of them.

Then when you add in the fact that there are women who have convinced themselves that they don't want children, aren't going to have them (and with Ahsoka being a former Jedi I don't think it's too out there to say that she never imagined having children herself), or just have too much to do to think about, they can ignore or miss all the signs. Add in the fact that a detaching placenta and other things can cause bleeding that a woman mistakes as a period and a woman can go an entire pregnancy without knowing she was pregnant. It's rare, but it happens.

Okay that's your FYI for today. If you don't believe it, read about it on the internet. Anyway there's one more chapter and yes you have to wait until Friday unless I change my mind though I doubt it.

Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


	19. Chapter 19

**AN:** Last chapter… I can't believe the success of this story. The popularity of it was beyond my expectations.

Anywho, some people said they saw the pregnancy thing coming, some say they didn't, some were in between, and some were upset that I did it in here but couldn't pull it in the extension story to my Dark Ahsoka story. Well, I was purposely trying to throw people off and that's why I got the mixed reactions. Second, the issue fit in here. I've seen stories where people throw in pregnancy for the hell of it and as natural and common as pregnancy is, it's become a real cliché in fanfiction. So while for my last story, it just didn't fit to me, this story had the perfect setup and more realistic (not ideal note. There's a difference. The situation was far from ideal) situation for the issue to come up.

Alright, there's a sneak peak of the next story at the end so read past the ending. Read, enjoy, and review!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter Nineteen**

"You all are going to love the rebellion," Luke said as he walked down the hall with his new friends and newfound sister. "Just wait. And Mara's going to flip when she meets you Leia."

"Who's Mara?" Lana asked him.

"She's a girl me and Obi-wan found a long time ago. The empire killed her parents, and they were going to take her to the emperor but Obi-wan managed to get to her first," Luke explained before rolling her eyes. "She can be downright mean sometimes though."

"Then why do you hang out with her?" Abdul asked.

"Because she's the only other person on the base around my age right now. Most people try to keep their kids out of it. Well, there are a couple of people there around sixteen but they take their jobs way too seriously," Luke muttered before adding, "and I couldn't avoid her if I wanted to. We have force training together."

That snapped Leia out her thoughts as she looked at Luke.

"You know how to use the force?" she asked.

"Sure," Luke said and then hesitantly added. "I'm still training though."

"That's more that I can say for myself," Leia said sourly

"Then maybe Obi-wan can help you too," Luke suggested. "I'll help you if I can."

Leia's eyes lit up in anticipation of learning about the force as they came up on Ahsoka's room. Technically, she hadn't been officially discharged and being that her medic was a Falleen, meaning she was impervious to mind tricks, Vader had to convince her with other methods, ones that Obi-wan didn't approve of but didn't bother trying to reprimand his former student for. He was still dealing with a Sith Lord after all.

Leia stopped the group as she peeked into the room where Ahsoka was getting off the bed, Vader hovering protectively in front of her with his arms crossed, while Obi-wan watched with an expression that was a cross between amusement and bemusement.

"Be careful," Vader said as she stood.

"I'm pregnant, not invalid," Ahsoka said gently pushing him in the arm to make him move sideways and out her way. "I can walk from here to the shuttle."

"That does seem a little far," Vader muttered. "I'll tell one of the staff to bring a hover chair."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. "Can you please go back to not caring about me? You were infuriating then, but this is just annoying."

"It's not you I'm worried about," Vader said coldly, but everyone knew he didn't mean it. He was keeping up appearances. "It's the baby."

"You two really need to stop it," Tamara said coming into the room. "All this faking when everyone knows you're crazy about each other."

"You'd do well not to forget who employs you Tamara," Vader warned.

"Yes milord," Tamara said with a smirk. "The shuttle's ready and the empire's almost here. We have to get a move on."

Vader turned to Ahsoka. "You sure you can walk?"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes again before walking out the room without Vader's help to the waiting shuttle.

"That's so not right," Leia said crossing her arms.

"What isn't?" Luke asked.

"I've been working for since I was five years old to set those two up and make them admit they love each other or at least stop denying it…" Leia said trailing off.

"Well you did manage to set them up," Lana reminded.

"But I never could get them to stop denying they loved each other," Leia grumbled and then sighed. "But in all of one day, my little sister who isn't even born yet managed it."

"They don't look different to me… They're acting the same as always," Abdul said. "Well, except your dad seems concerned about the baby."

"She's right," Luke said in agreement with Leia. "I can feel it too. They're just hiding it, but there's no more of that denial I was sensing from Ahsoka all month."

"Finally, someone who understands me," Leia said dramatically as she threw her arm around Luke.

"Must be a force thing," Abdul muttered.

"No," Vader said coming out the room to look at them with a glare and his arms crossed. "It's a Skywalker thing. Now what's this about some plan to set me and Ahsoka up since you were five, princess?"

The four teens froze, but all of them for varying reason. Abdul from sheer terror, Lana from shyness, Luke from wanting to get as far away as possible from Vader, and Leia because she knew she was busted.

"Long story…" she said. "One I don't have time to go over."

Vader pointed a finger at her, but Obi-wan came out with a laugh saying, "She's right you know. We don't have the time. It's a tale that will have to wait another time."

With that the four teens rushed past Vader to the elevator to go to the shuttle.

"She's got the patience, manipulative nature, conniving of Palpatine… the makings of a Sith Lady." Vader commented.

"You say that as though it's a good thing," Obi-wan muttered.

Vader shot him a glare. "We won't argue about our different philosophies right now and the only reason I'm not is so that I can protect them. We're still enemies Kenobi," he said and dismissed himself from the Jedi's presence.

"My my… If I might ask Miss Leia, what took you all so long?" Threepio asked as the teens went up the ramp. "The shuttle has been ready for an hour."

Leia stopped. "We had to take care of some last minute things Threepio. But we're ready now."

Artoo muttered something about Threepio panicking, thinking that something was wrong and Leia laughed.

"He's always like that Artoo," Leia said.

"Well excuse me then," Threepio said proceeding to go up the ramp arguing with Artoo.

"You ready Leia?" Ahsoka said coming back down the ramp.

"Almost," she said as she looked toward the doors where her father came out, obviously a little miffed at Obi-wan who was walking behind him.

Leia went down to meet him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Bye daddy," she whispered.

"It won't be forever Leia. I promise," Vader assured kissing her forehead.

"I know," she said backing away with a sad smile.

Vader then reached into his pocket and pulled out a lightsaber and handed it to Leia.

"Give this back to your brother for me. Tell him I'm sorry," he said as she took it from him. Leia nodded and went back towards the ramp to wait for Ahsoka.

Ahsoka approached him and smirked. "Any last minute instructions milord?"

Vader remained passive as ever although Ahsoka could sense his amusement. He turned serious just that quickly.

"I need you to do me a favor… Two things really…" he said trailing off as he got a distant expression.

"What?" she asked.

"The baby," he said reaching out to touch her lower abdomen. "Name her after my mother."

"Your mother?" Ahsoka asked. There had only been one time Vader ever mentioned his mother to her and even then it had been brief. "What was her name?"

"Shmi," he said caught up in memory for a while before he pushed them away.

Ahsoka tossed it around in her head. She could agree on that one. "Alright. As long as it wasn't something she would hate in the future," she added with a smile.

"I want you train her," Vader said not missing a beat.

Ahsoka was startled. "What?"

"Both of them. Train Leia and Shmi in the way of the force," Vader requested.

"But I thought…"

"Not as a Sith or a Jedi and don't teach them about light and dark. Just the force. They can choose their own path after that," Vader said. "I trust you to do that for me."

Ahsoka didn't say anything and if she was going to, Obi-wan interrupted.

"We have to leave now," he said with a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder before walking up the ramp.

"Okay," Ahsoka said as she started to walk away from Vader. "I guess this is farewell."

Ahsoka started to walk up the ramp and Vader was going to just let her go. He really had intended to, but as per usual, he could never just let Ahsoka walk away from him. He pulled her back to him and rubbed her arms as he pulled her into a kiss, but it wasn't the same as their past kisses. There was more fire behind it, no more trying to keep emotions out of it or denying that they were there.

When Vader pulled away, Leia came next to Ahsoka and together they went up the ramp, Ahsoka's arm around Leia's back. As they went to sit down, Ahsoka paused as she heard his voice through their link.

"_Thank you for not turning you back on me."_

Ahsoka smiled. It was the only thing she could do as he had closed the link again just that quickly.

"You okay Ahsoka?" Leia asked. "You looked a little absent there."

"I'm fine Leia," she said as they made their way to their new home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leia sighed as she got out of her bed and tiptoed down the hall to another room in the Alderaan Palace. It was only their temporary home until the new rebel base was built. Then she, Ahsoka, Luke, Lana's family and Abdul's family would go to live on the base along with the new addition to their clan. Leia slipped into the room that was adjoined to her guardian's room for convenience and went to lean over the crib where her little sister was laying in her back with wide blue eyes in the dark.

"What are you doing up again Mimi?" she asked little Shmi who only smiled at Leia even though it was too dark to see her face. "Didn't Ahsoka just feed you?"

Shmi began to kick her feet and punch her fist in the air out of frustration and Leia quickly picked her up before Ahsoka sensed the baby's distress. It was odd how Ahsoka could use the force and sense when the little one, just six weeks old, was about to cry or in some kind of discomfort. Therefore, Leia had never actually heard her sister cry for anything. She only did so when she was fussy or in a bad mood.

"And they call me spoiled," Leia said with a small smile as she softly patted Shmi's back to calm her.

Leia ran a hand over the girls head across brown hair that she had apparently gotten from their grandmother this time around and then across two smooth bumps that everyone now assumed would be where two montrals would start to grow when she hit puberty. It would be the only thing that would be a dead giveaway to her half human, half torgruta heritage, even the tinge of orange-red in her skin could be explained as normal if no one knew the truth. Shmi twitched when Leia ran her hand across them. The baby hated when anyone ran a finger over the sensitive spots.

"Sorry," Leia whispered. "I won't do it again."

Leia then heard voices from the other room and guessed her attempts to let Ahsoka sleep were in vain as she was already awake. Leia went to the door and, using her new abilities with the force, enhanced her hearing to hear what was going on.

"You still haven't finished filling out her birth certificate," Bail Organa, the man she found out would have been her adoptive father if Ahsoka hadn't taken her, said. She was glad he hadn't adopted her. Winter, the princess she had become friends with while at the palace, always looked uncomfortable with the hairstyles and dresses her aunts made her wear.

"I know," Ahsoka said with a sigh as she looked at the paper on her nightstand. "And I'm going to. I just don't know what name to give her."

"Well you have to consider that either way, her name is going to raise some questions if people find out," Obi-wan said and Leia scowled some. She wasn't exactly fond of the Jedi and that was partly because she had been raised to not trust the jedi and that Obi-wan was the one who left her father to burn and die. It was why for the first five years of her life, all she knew of her father was the mask of Vader.

"I don't want to give her my name. She's already not going to know him so she at least deserves his name. But…"

"The child of Anakin Skywalker, Shmi is not. Darth Vader, her father is."

Leia still remembered when they brought the green toad-like Jedi, Master Yoda, to Alderaan. He had insisted on it, in fact, upon learning who Shmi's father was. Leia still laughed at the memory of an obviously pregnant (but still quite small for eight months) Ahsoka being scolded on her irresponsible actions. It was like Ahsoka was teenager. Luke, Abdul, and Lana hadn't even tried to hide their amusement. Laughter could be heard for days in the palace at the memory of the incident. Leia and Winter had a little more tact, but even they couldn't deny it was funny.

"_No sense, have you?" the old Jedi said and probably would have hit Ahsoka with his cane if it weren't for her delicate condition. "Dangerous enough this entire arrangement has been. Protecting two younglings of the chosen one, hard enough it is. But now three?" he asked shaking his head._

_Ahsoka sighed. "It's not like it wasn't an accident," she muttered. "Do you know how uncommon this actually is?"_

_Yoda did hit her that time, on her swollen ankles. She winced and if her stomach hadn't been in the way, she would have reached down to rub it._

"_No brains have you? The chosen one he is. Make the impossible possible, the uncommon common. Learn nothing from his action the years you have known him?" Yoda scolded before shaking his head. "The children of Skywalker one thing, but the child of Vader… Only trouble from this can come. Meditate on this I must."_

Ahsoka had been mad at Yoda the remainder of her pregnancy at the slight at Vader and the way Yoda seemed to imply that her unborn daughter was destined to be evil. Apparently, she still hadn't gotten over it as she crossed her arms.

"You say that as though it's a bad thing," she hissed.

"Perhaps," Yoda said shrugging. "Conceived in darkness this child was."

"She has just as much a chance of falling to the dark side as Luke and Leia do. You don't know Vader. He's not that bad. He's done a lot of evil things. I can't deny that, but he's not completely evil. There's good in him and Shmi is proof of it," Ahsoka snapped.

"You can't avoid this forever Ahsoka," Obi-wan said before another argument started between the young mother and Yoda.

"I'm not trying to," she said. "But I don't want Shmi to be ashamed of who her father was. You've already convinced Luke. Leia's only recently been able to get him to call Vader his father."

"Luke's not ashamed of who his father _was_. He's ashamed of what his father became," Obi-wan pointed out.

"He shouldn't be," Ahsoka said. "Vader's not an evil person. He just does evil things because he thinks he has to. He's still a good man."

"Cloud your judgment your emotions do," Yoda chided.

"I'm not pregnant anymore," Ahsoka warned. "I was dead serious when I said I'd attack you if you told me that again."

Leia winced. She knew it was still mood swings and messed up hormones making her say that. But it didn't make it sound any less threatening.

"Either way people aren't going to react well," Ahsoka muttered. "If I write Skywalker, they'll figure out he's not quite dead and think he's been a coward all these years. If I write Vader, they'll judge Shmi before she can walk."

"No one has to know yet," Bail pointed out.

"But it can't be hidden forever and I accept that. But I still don't know which name to give her," Ahsoka said sighing before saying. "I know you've been listening Leia. You can stop hiding and bring Shmi in here."

Leia opened the door and stepped into the room, blinking her eyes at the brightness of the room.

"She's asleep again," Leia said still rocking the baby.

"Lay her on the bed," Ahsoka said nodding towards her bed.

Leia did so, putting the baby on her stomach, careful to turn her face to the side before looking at Ahsoka.

"Still can't decide her name?" Leia asked.

"Being stubborn and difficult, young Tano is. Influenced her much, your father has," Yoda said amused.

Ahsoka couldn't hold back a laugh at that.

"Then let me decide," Leia suggested and all the adults turned to look at her. "You all can't come to an agreement and Ahsoka looks stuck between a rock and a hard place so let me."

Ahsoka didn't hesitate to hand Leia the birth certificate and pen with the force. Leia took it and pressed against the other nightstand as she wrote the name, before handing it back to Ahsoka.

Ahsoka glanced down at it in surprise.

"Skywalker-Vader?" she asked.

"It's simple. You're still honoring Vader, but honoring the man he used to be. Shmi belongs to my dad no matter how he acts or what name he goes by. So let her choose when she's old enough," Leia said shrugging as though it were the simplest thing in the world.

Everyone looked at Ahsoka who was still looking at the paper. Then she folded it and handed it to Bail.

"File it. Shmi Skywalker-Vader it is," Ahsoka said and then turned back to Leia. "And back to bed with you. You have training in a few hours."

When Leia left Obi-wan turned to Ahsoka.

"You do know she's counting on Shmi to carry Vader's name when she's older, right?" Obi-wan asked.

"I know," Ahsoka said. "Vader always said she has the making of a Sith Lady."

"Or a very wise Jedi Master," Bail pointed out. "She knows people well."

"Sounds like a politician to me," Obi-wan said dryly. "She is her mother's child."

Ahsoka thought about it and then shook her head. "Not a politician… She's patient and manipulative, but I don't see her as the type to sit and debate all day long with people. But Leia's got to choose her own path. She'll decide."

Yoda huffed. "Chosen her path, Leia already has. No doubt, no conflict, I sense from her. But you young Tano… Your decision, you must make. Meditated on this I have. Intertwined with your decision, the fate of the galaxy is."

Ahsoka gave him a sideways glance before crossing her arms and looking out the window. She started to draw into her thoughts and ponder what Yoda said until she felt a distinct presence in the room.

"Padmé," she whispered with a smile and got the message. Ahsoka would let the future come as it may.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**AN:** It's over… But it's not. Okay, the next story takes place about five and a half years after the ending of this. And it deals with a lot more than just the romance. It's a lot more action packed. Ahsoka has to come to a final decision about her loyalties, Leia has to come to terms with her mother, Luke with his father, then there's always the issue of the Jedi, Palpatine plays his manipulative game, and Vader… well, he's got to deal with his own issues on top of everyone else's. Shmi also makes her actual debut, and because I liked Ventress' character in relation to the Nightsisters so much, guess who makes an appearance. Yeah, this story is packed and it's no wonder it's longer than this one.

Now that I got that aside, here's your sneak preview:

"_First rule of manipulation daddy. Never underestimate your victim. That's why you're so bad at it and can't stand politics."_

_Vader didn't know whether to admit she was right or to feel insulted and put her in her place._

"_Palpatine is toying with us dad and he's only bidding his time. He knows about all three of us and he knows you're not crippled under that suit anymore. He also knows he doesn't stand a chance against you in a fair duel and so he's trying to get to us before you do and Shmi's the key. If you find her, it's over and he knows it. So he tried to use Shmi to attract me and Luke so he'd had leverage over you and Ahsoka. It's that simple."_

"_You're speculating all this," Vader said. "You don't know-."_

"_Dad," Leia said pointedly. "This guy orchestrated a war to get into power. And even if he hadn't, it's always best to overestimate your enemy than underestimate because when you do that, you can't be taken by surprise."_

"_Where did you learn all this?" Vader asked suspiciously._

"_Politics is a game of manipulation dad. Why do you think I liked the subject so much?"_

"_It's in your blood. That's why," Vader commented._

"_Mother was a politician wasn't she," Leia said as a matter of fact._

"_Now the question is though, why are you still wherever you are?" Ahsoka pointed out. "You don't seem distressed."_

"_Because Palpatine forgot one thing when he calculated this plan."_

"_What's that?"_

"_Shmi hates to be toyed with and if she knew they were trying to get a reaction out of her or she thought she was being mocked, it's only natural that she shut down on them."_

"_Shut down?" Vader asked looking between Ahsoka and Leia who seemed to know something he didn't._

"_Remember that intolerance for mediocrity I said Shmi has?" Ahsoka asked and then continued without waiting for Vader to respond, "She also has an intolerance for being toyed with and so she's mastered the art of ignoring things she doesn't want to react to. I think that's why she doesn't have a bad temper."_

_Vader frowned. "You mean to tell me you think she consciously ignored what was going on to keep us from finding her?"_

"_Oh yeah," Leia said. "She knew exactly what she was doing."_

"_Do you think so?" Ahsoka asked a little skeptical._

"_Why do you ask?" Leia replied._

_Ahsoka bit her lip before saying. "Well… Because she's… Well she's Shmi. She's nothing like you were at that age Leia. A grown woman trapped in a seven year old body. She's so…"_

"_Unassuming… Like you are," Vader said with a smirk._

"_I guess you can call it that. But she's just so childish… like she should be," Ahsoka added._

"_I think you're underestimating her strength," Leia suggested. "What you call being hardheaded is her incredible resolve not to bend to anyone's will and if she barely listens to us, then she's not going to give anyone else the satisfaction of playing into their hand if she knows what they're doing. Shmi was protecting us alright… So it's likely she's still on Bespin. But I don't think the emperor would risk you all getting to her."_

"_We're already on the way."_

"_But I can get to her faster," Leia replied._

"_And then you'd be playing right into the emperor's hands," Vader said firmly. "No. You stay where you are. We'll take care of this matter."_

_Leia sighed. "Fine…"_

_The scenery began to fade and soon Vader and Ahsoka were back in their quarters on the Executor, Ahsoka's com beeping in the background._

"_Yes," she answered curtly._

"_We're about to drop out of hyperspace ma'am," Piett said._

Yeah, so obviously this leaves a lot of questions and speculations about what's going on, but you'll find out. I don't know when this will be up. I won't give a date. I'll take my time… focus on school, write my research paper and then I'll see. I'm not going to school this summer so that's three whole months of… Well I'm not sure. But I should have more free time. I'll probably had Arc III of LoL up again by then. I'll see.

Until next time, Lady Dae out! Hope you enjoyed. Review Please!


End file.
